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MR.   JOHN  C .   ROSE 


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ELEMENTS'AND  SCIENCE  OF 
ENGLISH  VERSIFICATION. 


ELEMENTS  AND  SCIENCE 


OF 


ENGLISH  VERSIFICATION 


BY 


WILLIAM  C.  jJONES 


BUFFALO : 
THE  PETER  PAUL  BOOK  COMPANY. 

1897. 


Copyright,  1897,  by 
The  Pkter  Paul  Book  Company. 


PRINTED   AND   BOUND   BV 

THK    PKTER    PAUL    BOOK    COMPANY, 

BUFFALO,    N.    Y. 


INSCRIBED    TO 

IReu.  William  (&.  "dOJtllrams,  I^L,.  g. 

wright  professor  of 

(;reek  language  and  literature, 

ohio  wesleyan  university, 

delaware,  ohio. 


PREFACE. 

^  T  IS  the  desire  of  the  author  to  create  a  greater  love  for 
">  )  poetry.  I  do  not  think  it  is  possible  to  make  great 
7(        poets   any  more  than  it   is   possible  to  create  great 

*  musicians,  sculptors,  artists,  or  orators.  All  must  be 
born  with  the  spark  of  genius  inherent  within  the  soul.  I 
believe,  however,  that  even  those  possessed  of  great  genius 
may  profit  by  the  research  of  others,  and  frequently  are 
induced  to  follow  their  art  by  suggestions  and  rules  pointed 
out  to  them.  To  such  who  possess  real  genius  from  a 
poetic  standpoint  this  work  may  be  of  benefit.  Another 
class  to  be  benefited  are  readers  who  love  poetry  and  make 
a  study  of  it,  and  yet  fail  to  receive  the  benefits  or  see  the 
beauties  of  true  poetry  simply  because  they  fail  to  under- 
stand the  technique. 

It  is  a  pleasure  to  be  able  to  scan  critically  that  which  we 
read.  If,  however,  we  are  unable  to  criticise  for  ourselves 
the  merits  of  a  poem  from  every  standpoint,  we  necessarily 
lose  much  of  the  real  pleasure  of  the  reading.  To  be  able 
to  tell  the  measure,  the  rhythm,  and  the  number  of  feet  a 
verse  contains  is  in  every  sense  a  satisfaction  to  the  reader 
of  a  poem  ;  yet,  not  one-third  of  those  who  read  poetry 
know  anything  whatever  about  measure,  feet,  or  rhythm. 
They  realize  there  is  a  certain  jingle  to  the  stanza  that 
pleases  them,  and  that  is  all  they  know  about  it.  Few 
readers  ever  stop  to  consider  whether  the  poem  is  composed 


vi  PREFACE. 

of  couplets,  triplets,  or  quatrains.  The  mode  of  construct- 
ing- the  five,  six,  seven,  eight,  nine,  and  ten  line  stanzas  is  a 
matter  that  has  given  them  no  trouble  and  about  which  they 
have  never  had  a  thought.  The  combinations  of  verses  is 
something  that  has  escaped  their  attention  entirely. 

Vers  de  SociH^ — polite  and  polished  by  masters  of  the 
art,  can  hardly  be  distinguished  by  some  who  feign  a  real 
love  of  poetry  from  blank  verse.  Poetical  licenses  and 
peculiarities  are  little  known  and  less  understood.  The 
same  is  true  of  figures  of  etymology,  syntax,  and  rhetoric  ; 
and  yet  much  of  the  pleasure  of  reading  poetry  is  derived 
from  being  able  to^riticise  it  properly  from  every  technical 
standpoint.  A  beautiful  metaphor  or  simile  is  instantly 
detected  by  the  highly  educated  reader  and  is  a  delight  to 
his  soul. 

Poetry  is  not  only  a  question  of  matter,  but  one  of 
manner.  Our  best  poets  understand  versification  thor- 
oughly and  are  ever  painstaking.  The  true  poet  is  careful 
in  every  detail.  A  diamond  in  the  rough  may  be  of  value, 
but  not  until  it  is  polished  does  it  become  a  sparkling  gem. 
The  day  is  not  distant  when  versification  will  be  taught  with 
the  same  care  that  is  now  given  to  rhetoric.  Why  not? 
Do  not  all  derive  pleasure  from  reading  the  works  of  the 
masters  of  poetry  ? 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  Lawrence  TurnbuU,  of  Baltimore,  Maryland, 
became  benefactors  to  the  world  when  they  established  a 
lectureship  of  poetry  at  the  Johns  Hopkins  University  in 
memory  of  their  son,  Percy  Graeme  TurnbuU,  and  with  an 
avowed  intention  of  teaching  poetry  and  thereby  creating  a 
knowledge  of  and  a  love  for  it.  May  their  noble  gift  and 
benefaction  become  more  generally  known  and  others 
follow  their  example. 


PREFACE.  vii 

The  aim  of  the  true  poet  is  always  high.  He  should  not 
only  rely  upon  those  resources  with  which  nature  has 
equipped  him,  but  he,  too,  should  study  appropriate 
models,  until  he  becomes  a  sufficient  master  of  the  art  to  be 
able  in  turn  to  leave  models  for  others  who  may  follow  after. 

W.  C.  J. 
Robinson,  Illinois. 


TABLE  OF  CONTENTS. 


PART  FIRST. 


POETRY  AS  AN  ART,       . 

ACCKNT  AND  QUANTITY, 

OF  VERSE,  . 

Hemistich,     . 

Distich,  . 

Tristich, 

Tetrastich,   . 

Forms  of  the  Oiatrain, 

OF  METER,  . 

The  Trochee, 
The  Iambus,  . 
The  Dactyl, 
The  Anapest. 

OF  RHYTHM,      . 

OF  SCANSION,    . 
Poetic  Pauses, 

OF  RHYME, 

Alliteration, 

Assonantal, 
Consonantal, 
Masculine  and  Feminine, 
Triple 


PAGE 
I 


lO 
lO 
lO 

II 
II 

12 

1 8 

23 

23 
24 
24 

30 

33 
36 

40 
42 
44 
45 
45 
46 


TABLE   OF  COXTEN'TS. 


Middle,  . 
Sectional, 
Inverse,  . 
Task,  or  Odd, 
Cento  Verses, 
Acrostic, 


SELECTION  OP^  WORDS, 

Foreign  Words  and  Expressions,  . 


THE  CONSTRUCTION  OF  THE  STANZA. 

Rhythmic  Combinations, 
The  Five  Line  Stanza, 
The  Six  Line  Stanza, 
The  Seven  Line  Stanza, 
The  Eight  Line  Stanza, 
The  Nine  Line  Stanza, 
The  Ten  Line  Stanza, 
The  Sonnet, 
The  Ballade, 
The  Chant  Royal, 
The  Rondeau, 
The  Rondel, 
The  Roundel. 
The  Sestina, 
The  Triolet, 
The  Virelav, 
The  Pantoum, 
Blank  Verse, 

MEASURES  EXEMPLIFIED, 

Trochaic, 

Monometer, 
Dimeter,  . 
Trimeter,  . 
Tetrameter. 


TABLE  OF  CONTENTS. 


XI 


Pentamettr, 
Hexameter, 
Heptameter, 
Octometer, 

Iambic,     . 

Monometer, 
Dimeter.    . 
Trimeter,  . 
Tetrameter, 
Pentameter, 
Hexameter, 
Heptameter, 
Octometer, 

Dactylic, 

Dimeter,  . 
Tetrameter, 
Hexameter, 

Anapestic, 

Monometer, 
Dimeter,    . 
Trimeter,  . 
Tetrameter, 
Hexameter, 


IMITATION  OF  CLASSICAL  MEASURES, 
POETICAL  LICENSES,      .... 


PAGE 
142 

144 
146 

147 
148 

>57 

158 
159 

160 
160 
163 
164 

165 

165 
166 
167 
168 
170 

171 

177 


PAR  T  SECOND. 


FIGURES  OF  SPEECH  COMMON  TO  POETRY, 


Figures  of  Etymology, 
Aplieresis, 
Apocope,  . 


187 

187 

187 
188 


TABLE  at  CONTENTS. 


Epenthesis, 
Paragoge,  . 
Prosthesis,. 
Syncope,  . 
Synaeresis, 
Tmesis, 

Figures  of  Syntax, 
Ellipsis, 
Enallage,  . 
Hyperbaton, 
Pleonasm,. 
Syllepsis    . 

Figures  of  Rhetoric, 
Allegory.  . 
Apostrophe, 
Anaphora, 
Antithesis, 
Epanaiepsis, 
Epigram,  . 
Epizeuxis, 
Erotesis.    . 
Ecphonesis, 
Euphemism, 
Hearing,    . 
Hyperbole, 
Irony, 
Litotes, 
Metonymy, 
Echo, 

Onomatopceia, 
Paraleipsis, 
Personification, 
Refrain, 
Simile, 
Synecdoche, 
Trope, 
Vision, 


TABLE  OF  CONTENTS. 


PART-  THIRD. 


OF  THE  VARIOUS  KINDS  OF  POFTRY, 


The  Empire  ok  Poetry, 
Classification  of  Poetry, 
Objective  and  Subjective  Poet 
The  Lyric,     . 
Secular  Songs,     . 
Sacred  Songs, 
Other  Meters, 
The  Ode, 

The  Sacred  Ode, 

The  Moral  Ode, 

The  Amatory  Ode, 

The  Heroic  Ode, 

The  Ballad,  . 
The  Elegy,    . 
The  Epitaph, 
The  Pastoral, 
The  Didactic, 

Philosophical, 

Meditative, 

The  Epic, 

The  Mock  Epic, 
Metrical  Romance, 
Metrical  History, 

The  Drama,   . 

The  Tragedy,   . 

The  Comedy,    . 

The  Divisions  of  the  Drama 

The  Farce, 

The  Travesty,  . 

The  Melodrama 

The  Burletta,    . 

The  Prologue,  . 


xiv  TABLE  OF  COXTEiVVS. 

PAGK 

The  Epilogue, 298 

The  Envoy, 298 

The  Subjective  Drama 299 

The  Opera 299 

The  Satire .  299 

The  Dialectic, 303 

German  Dialect, 304 

Irish  Dialect 306 

Western  Dialect, 3'  8 

Chinese  Dialect 311 

Southern  Dialect, 311 

Yankee  Dialect 315 

Scotch  Dialect, 318 

Child  Dialect, 319 

Nonsense, 320 

The  Versicle, 323 

CONCLUSION 327 

INDEX  OF  AUTHORS 329 

INDEX  OF  SUBJECTS, 337 


THE  ART  OF  POETRY. 


PART  FIRST. 


CHAPTER  I. 
POETRY  AS  AN  ART. 

POETRY  is  an  art.  Like  music,  painting  and  sculpture, 
it  is  a  aivine  art.  The  poetic  principle  burns  within 
those  who  are  gifted  by  nature  with  the  true  and  the  ideal. 
It  is  a  part  of  their  existence,  a  part  of  their  being.  There 
are  those  who  love  music,  and  spend  their  best  days  in  its 
study  and  composition.  It  is  their  joy  and  their  sorrow. 
The  world  drinks  in  that  which  their  souls  pour  out. 
Music,  to  the  master  mind,  is  his  heart's  gratification.  He 
lives  and  breathes  in  its  atmosphere.  To  him  it  is  a  greater 
solace  than  the  pleasures  of  fashion,  pomp  or  power. 

He  who  is  master  of  the  art  of  painting  enjoys  satisfaction 
in  consummating  that  art.  He  gives  his  life  daily  to  the 
task  of  bringing  it  into  perfection.  His  art  is  his  love,  and 
throughout  life  he  admires  her  charms. 

The  sculptor  spends  days  and  years  in  modeling  and 
chiseling  the  rough  marble  into  the  perfect  image.  He, 
too,  finds  true  enjoyment  in  giving  his  days  in  bringing  his 
art  to  the  highest  degree  of  excellence. 

The  true  poet  finds  dehght  in  the  rhythmical  creation  of 
beauty.  His  word-pictures  are  paintings,  his  ideals  are 
modeled  with  the  care  of  a  sculptor.  He  sees  beauty  in  the 
tinting  of  the  flowers,  the  waving  of  the  grain,  the  cluster 


2  THE  ART  OF  POETRY. 

of  the  trees,  the  babbling  of  the  brooks,  the  ripple  of  the 
rivers,  the  rifting  of  the  clouds,  the  twinkling  of  the  stars. 
The  birds  sing  for  him,  and  the  winds  sigh  unto  him.  The 
calm,  still  ocean  furnishes  a  picture  of  desolation,  while  its 
deep  surf  and  mighty  waves  thunder  back  its  power  and 
destruction  as  they  swell  and  surge  the  sands  upon  the 
shore. 

The  moss  upon  the  rock,  the  violet  and  the  rose,  the  hum 
of  the  bee,  the  heather  and  the  hyacinth,  all  have  for  him 
some  charm. 

He  can  picture  the  beauty  of  woman  as  well  as  he  who 
paints  her  upon  the  canvas.  He  can  sing  to  her  in  song  as 
well  as  he  who  trills  before  the  harp.  He  finds  the  gems 
and  true  graces  of  womanhood.  He  idolizes  the  luster  ol 
her  eye,  the  soft  melody  of  her  voice — the  sigh,  the  laugh- 
ter, the  tear.  He  worships  at  the  shrine  of  her  faith,  in  the 
strength  of  her  purity,  in  the  sweetness  of  her  love. 

All  that  is  true  and  beautiful  he  sees  with  the  eye  of  the 
sculptor,  feels  with  the  touch  of  the  painter,  and  hears  with 
the  ear  of  the  musician. 

The  mysteries  of  nature  are  unfolded  unto  him,  and  he 
finds  a  pleasure  in  singing,  in  painting  and  in  picturing  her 
charms  and  her  grandeurs.  It  is  only  those  who  possess 
the  inherent  power  and  a  perfect  art  that  can  do  this. 
Nature  presents  to  us  strength  in  the  rough  stone.  Art 
brings  to  us  beauty  in  the  polished  diamond. 

True  ease  in  writing  comes  from  art,  not  chance. 

This  verse  is  fi^om  Pope,  a  master  of  the  art  of  versifica- 
tion. Born  an  invalid  and  possessed  of  a  frail  constitution 
throughout  life,  he  devoted  his  time  to  his  art.  Educated 
and  refined,  with  a  vigor  of  mind  possessed  by  few,  he  found 


POE  TRY  AS  AN  A  R  T.  3 

time  to  eclipse  Dryden,  his  chosen  master  and  model.  Mr. 
Walsh,  who  was  regarded  by  Dryden  as  the  best  critic  in 
all  London,  encouraged  Pope  to  become  the  critical  writer 
he  afterwards  became.  "  For,"  said  Mr.  Walsh,  "  there  is 
one  way  of  excelling.  Although  we  have  several  great 
poets,  we  have  never  had  any  one  great  poet  that  was 
correct. ' '     How  well  Pope  succeeded,  Cowper  tells  us  : 

But  he  (his  musical  finesse  was  such), 
So  nice  his  ear,  so  delicate  his  touch, 
Made  poetry  a  mere  mechanic  art  ; 
And  every  warbler  has  his  tune  by  heart 

The  act,  art  or  practice  of  composing  poetic  verse  is  ver- 
sification. The  word  ' '  verse, ' '  in  our  language,  means  a 
line  of  poetry.  A  piece  of  poetry  is  often  incorrectly 
termed  a  verse. 

This  verse  be  thine. 

Pope. 

Virtue  was  taught  in  verse. 

Prior. 

A  verse  may  be  defined  as  a  succession  of  articulate 
sounds,  consisting  of  words  arranged  in  measured  lines, 
constituting  an  order  of  accented  and  unaccented  syllables, 
disposed  of  according  to  the  rules  of  the  species  of  poetry 
which  the  author  intends  to  compose.  Verse  is  merely  the 
dress  which  poetry  assumes.  All  verse  is  not  poetry,  nor 
is  all  poetry  verse,  as  one  can  see  by  an  examination  of 
Ossian's  poems,  and  "Leaves  of  Grass"  by  Walt  Whit- 
man. A  large  portion  of  the  Holy  Scriptures  is  poetical. 
Many  parts  are  railed  songs,  and  the  elevation  of  style 
clearly  indicates  the  poetical  construction  of  others.     We 


^  THE  ART  OF  POETRY. 

give  a  quotation  from  the  forty-fourth  chapter  ot  Isaiah  : 

For  I  will  pour  water  upon  him  that  is  thirsty, 

And  floods  upon  the  dry  ground  ; 
I  will  pour  my  Spirit  upon  thy  seed, 

And  upon  thine  offspring  my  blessing  profound. 

Josephus  affirms  that  the  ' '  Songs  of  Moses  ' '  were  heroic 
verse,  while  the  songs  of  David  were  composed  in  trimeters 
and  pentameters. 

Sing  unto  the  Lord  with  the  harp  ;  with  the  harp  ; 
And  the  voice  of  a  psalm  ; 

With  trumpets  and  sound  of  cornet  make  a  joyful  noise 
Before  the  Lord,  the  King. 

"  Psalm  xcvii." 

Some  souls  in  this  world  fancy  they  have  no  love  for 
poetry.  They  are  mistaken.  They  love  poetry,  but  they 
do  not  understand  it.  Every  one  fancies  the  true  and  the 
ideal.  Who  loves  the  natural  world  around  and  about  us  ? 
Is  it  only  the  man  of  cultivation  and  leisure?  All  love 
nature.  Every  beautiful  landscape  that  is  visible  to  our  eye 
is  a  poem.  The  everyday  occurrences  of  life  are  poems. 
Yet  it  is  only  when  the  master  mind  perceives  and  tells  to 
us  their  hitherto  untold  beauties,  that  we  pause  and  listen. 
It  is  related  of  Robert  Burns  that  he  knew  "  The  Cotter's 
Saturday  Night ' '  was  a  success,  when  told  that  the  scenes 
he  had  so  faithfully  depicted  "were  common, very  common; 
such  as  might  be  witnessed  in  Scotland  at  all  times  in  the 
dwellings  of  the  poor." 

Who  would  now  remember  "  Sheridan's  Ride,"  were  it 
not  for  a  Thomas  Buchanan  Read  ?  Who  would  now 
remember  John  Howard  Payne,  were  it  not  for  "Home, 


POE TRY  AS  AN  AR T.  5 

Sweet  Home ' '  ?  Ages  still  preserve,  and  will,  our  best 
poems.  This  world  of  ours,  with  its  rivers  and  lakes,  its 
country  and  cities,  its  prairies  and  mountains,  its  almost 
every  little  nook  and  dell,  is  being  painted  with  word 
accents  by  someone  who  sees  a  special  beauty  in  the  little 
things  about  him.  The  polite  literature  of  poetry  is  keeping 
almost  as  many  records  of  heroic  events,  and  the  heroes  ; 
of  inventions,  and  the  inventors  ;  of  art,  and  the  artists  ;  of 
social,  domestic,  religious  and  political  life,  and  the  actors 
— ^as  her  sister  prose.  Life's  histories  of  love,  adventure, 
romance,  grief,  joy,  adversity,  hope  and  pleasure — all  are 
woven  together  and  told  with  unerring  skill  by  the'  master. 


CHAPTER  II. 

ACCENT  AND  QUANTITY. 

ENGLISH  poetry  depends  upon  accent,  and  accent  upon 
time.  Let  us  illustrate  :  English  poetry  has  four 
principal  or  primary  meters.  These  meters  or  measures 
are  known  as  iambic,  trochaic,  anapestic,  and  dactylic. 
All  English  poetry  is  written  in  one  of  these  measures. 
Again,  we  have  what  is  known  as  rhythm.  The 
rhythm  of  verse  is  its  relation  of  quantities  or  time. 
Take  for  example  an  iambic  word,  or  a  line  of  iambuses. 
The  word  "before"  is  an  iambus.  Why?  Because  the 
accent  falls  on  the  second  syllable,  the  first  being  unac- 
cented. Hence,  should  we  select  an  iambic  verse,  the 
accent  would  fall  on  the  second  syllable  of  each  foot  or 
measure  of  the  line. 

'TwSs  vain  :  the  loud  wSves  lashed  the  shore, 

Return  6r  aid  preventing  :  — 
The  waters  wild  went  o'er  hte  child,  — 

And  he  wSs  left  Idmenttng. 

Campbell— '"'Lordi  Ullin's  Daughter." 

Here  we  have  word  accent  applied  to  poetry  ;  every 
other  word  or  syllable  in  the  verse  or  line  being  accented. 
A  long  syllable  is  termed  an  accented  syllable.      Now  the 


ACCENT  AND  QUANTITY.  y 

quantity  of  a  syllable  is  the  relative  portion  of  time  occu- 
pied in  uttering  it.  In  English  poetry  every  syllable  must 
be  reckoned  long  or  short,  and  a  long  syllable  is  usually 
equal  to  two  short  or  unaccented  syllables. 

All  words  that  have  not  a  fixed  accent,  or  in  other  words, 
all  monosyllables  are  reckoned  in  the  first  instance  as  being 
unaccented  or  short.  While  this  is  true,  monosyllables 
when  used  in  English  poetry  may  be  used  as  accented  or 
long,  or,  as  unaccented  or  short  even  in  the  same  line, 
when  it  becomes  necessary  in  order  to  make  the  meter 
and  rhythm.     Take  the  first  line  of  the  stanza  just  quoted  : 

'TwSs  vain  :  thS  loud  wavfis  lashed  thS  shore. 

Here  we  have  a  line  of  iambuses.  Here  we  have  a  line 
of  four  iambic  feet.  Here  we  have  a  line  that  ticks  like  a 
clock  : 

Tick-took,  tick-tock,  tick-tock,  tick-tock. 

Here  we  have  a  line  in  iambic  rhythm.  The  rhythm 
here  being  determined  by  the  accent,  viz  :  The  accent 
falling  upon  the  second  syllable  of  the  foot,  and  the  number 
of  syllables  in  the  foot  or  measure  being  two.  There  are 
four  feet  in  this  line.  Each  foot  has  two  syllables,  one 
accented  and  one  not  accented. 

Now,  let  us  take  another  word,  and  another  line.  Take 
the  word  "lovely."  Here  the  accent  falls  upon  the  first 
syllable.  In  other  words  it  would  be  termed  long,  while 
the  "  ly "  would  be  unaccented  or  short  syllable.  Now. 
this  word  is  termed  a  trochee.  It  is  one  of  the  primary 
feet  in  English  poetry  ;  a  foot  where  the  accent  falls  upon 
the  first  syllable      Here  is  a  stanza  familiar  to  all,  a  stanza 


8  THE  ART  OF  POETRY. 

by  one  of  the  greatest  and  most  charming  of  poets, 

Lives  5f  great  mgn  all  remind  tis 

We  cSn  make  otir  lives  sublime, 
And,  departing  leave  behind  tis. 

Footprints  on  th^  sands  6f  time. 

Longfellow — "  A  Psalm  of  Life." 

Here  we  have  another  stanza  of  word  accents.  The  ac- 
cents ail  fall  on  the  first  syllable  or  unemphatic  word  of 
each  foot  or  measure  of  the  line  or  verse.  The  trochaic 
and  iambic  measures  are  termed  dissyllabic,  for  the  reason 
that  two  monosyllables,  or  two  syllables  or  a  word  of  two 
syllables,  compose  a  foot  or  measure. 

Now,  we  have  the  same  old  clock  ticking,  but  we  will 
elevate  one  side  of  it  and  put  a  chip  under  it.  We  now 
have  it  ticking  just  the  reverse  of  what  it  did  before.  It 
ticks  a  little  livelier.      It  now  ticks — 

Tock-tKck,  tock-tKck,  tock-ttek,  tock-tfck. 

Its  measure  is  trochaic,  because  composed  of  trochees. 
Its  rhythm  is  trochaic,  because  it  thus  signifies  or  denotes 
the  kind  and  character  of  the  feet  employed,  and  arranged 
into  measures.  If  the  line  then  is  composed  of  four  tro- 
chaic feet,  viz  :  a  trochaic  tetrameter,  the  rhythm  must 
necessarily  be  trochaic. 

What  has  been  said  of  iambic  meter,  and  trochaic  meter, 
is  equally  true  of  anapestic  and  dactylic  meter.  These  are 
termed  trisyllablic  feet.  These  measures  or  feet  may  be 
also  distinguished  from  the  dissyllabic  measures.  The  ana- 
pestic foot  having  one  accent-ed  and  two  unaccented  syl- 
lables, the  first  two  being  unaccented  the  last  being  accented, 
hence,   it  necessarily  follows,  the  time  meter  and   rhythm 


ACCENT  AND  QUANTITY.  g 

must  be  different.     The  clock  would  now  tick, — 

Tick,  tick-tock,  tick,  tick-tock,  tick,  tick-tock. 

On  the  other  hand,  dactylic  measure  being  composed  of 
dactyls,  words  of  three  syllables,  having  the  accent  upon 
the  first  syllable,  the  last  two  being  unaccented,  the  clock 
being  elevated  slightly  again,  would  tick  a  little  faster,  thus 

Took,  tick-tick,  tock,  tick-tick,  tock,  tick-tick. 

The  quantity  of  a  syllable,  whether  long  or  short,  in 
other  words,  accented  or  unaccented,  does  not  depend  upon 
the  long  or  short  sound  of  the  vowel,  or  diphthong,  but 
upon  the  intensity  with  which  the  syllable  is  uttered, 
whereby  a  greater  or  less  portion  of  time  is  employed  in 
uttering  it. 

Rhythmus  in  the  widest  sense  is  a  division  of  time  into 
short  portions  by  regular  succession  of  emotions,  impulses, 
and  sounds  producing  agreeable  effect.  We  speak  of 
the  rhythmus  of  the  dance,  the  rhythmus  of  music,  the 
rhythmus  of  the  poem.  The  language  of  the  true-born 
poet  is  rhythmical,  and  its  rhythmic  nature  distinguishes  it 
from  ordinary  speech.  To  the  lover  of  true  poetry  and  art 
there  is  a  peculiar  charm  and  grateful  satisfaction  attaches  to 
and  delights  the  ear  when  reading  a  beautiful  poem  of  a 
peculiar  or  particular  rhythm.  The  rhythmic  accent  marks 
off  given  periods  of  time,  and  the  natural  or  trained  ear  is 
thus  enabled  to  say,  as  each  measure  passes  in  review  before 
it,  whether  the  time  value  of  that  particular  measure  is 
correct. 


CHAPTER  III. 
OF  VERSE. 

AVERSE  being  a  metrical  line  of  a  length  and  rhythm 
determined  by  rules  which  usage  has  sanctioned,  it 
will  be  therefore  necessary  to  ascertain  the  divisions  of  verse. 
First,  we  have  the  Half  Verse  or  Hemistich,  it  being  a 
half  poetic  line  or  verse  not  complete  : 

Anapestic  Tetrameter. 

Heaven's  fire  is  dround  thfee,  t5  blast  and  t6  burn  ; 
Return  t5  thy  dwelling  \     *    *    * 

Cam/>be/l—"  hochieVs  Warning." 

Second,  we  have  the  Couplet  or  Distich,  two  verses  or  a 
pair  of  rhymes : 

Dactylic  Dimeter. 

Alas  !  frtr  the  rarity 
Of  Christian  charity. 

Hood — "The  Bridge  of  Sighs." 

Trochaic  "^etra.meter. 

For  the  heart  wh5se  woes  are  legiftn 
'Tis  a  peacefill,  soothing  regiftn. 

Poe — "  Dreamland." 


OF  VERSE.  II 

Iambic  Pentameter. 

Wh6  hath  n6t  paused  while  BeautJ^'s  pensivg  eye 
AskSd  from  his  heart  th6  homSge  of  a  sigh  ? 

Campbell — "  Pleasures  of  Hope." 

Third,  the  Triplet  or  Tristich,  three  verses  rhyming  to- 
gether : 

Iambic  Pentameter. 

A  sentinel  ang^l  sitting  high  in  glory 

HeSrd  this  shrill  wail  ring  oiit  fr6m  PurgStory  : 

Have  mercy,  mighty  angfil,  hear  my  story  ! 

Hay — "A  Woman's  Love." 

And  what's  S  life? — a  weary  pilgrimage, 
Wh5se  glory  in  ong  day  d6th  fill  th6  stage 
With  childho6d,  manho6d,  and  decrepit  age. 

Quarles-^''\^\\2X  is  Life." 

Fourth,  the  Stanza  or  Tetrastich,  a  regular  division  of  a 
poem,  consisting  of  two  or  more  lines  or  verses.  They  are 
formulated  according  to  usage,  and  the  taste  of  the  writer, 
and  may  be  of  every  conceivable  variety.  Stanzas  of  the 
same  poem  should  be  uniform,  and  constitute  a  regular  divis- 
ion of  a  poem.     Stanzas  are  often  incorrectly  termed  verses. 

A  verse  is  one  line  of  a  poem  ;  a  stanza,  two  or  more. 
Stanzas  are  frequently  known  by  the  name  of  those  using 
them  most ;  as,  the  stanza  of  Spenser,  the  stanza  of  BurnSj 
the  stanza  of  Chaucer. 

The  Couplet  is  the  simplest  form  of  the  stanza  ;  as, 

Where  did  y6u  come  fr6m,  baby  dear  ? 
Ottt  of  the  everywhere  into  the  here. 

George  Macdonald—"Th&  Baby." 


1 2  THE  AR  T  OF  POE  TR  V. 


Alas  !  f5r  love,  \f  thou  Srt  all, 
And  naught  bfiyond,  0  Earth  ! 

//etnans — "The  Graves  of  a  Household.' 


Any  two  lines  of  poetry  that  make  complete  sense  when 
taken  together,  whether  they  rhyme  or  do  not  rhyme  may 
be  termed  a  couplet ;  and  this  form  of  stanza  is  frequently 
employed  in  poems  of  considerable  length  ;  as,  Whittier's 
"  Barbara  Frietchie  ;  "  Tennyson's  "  Locksley  Hall ;  " 
Edwin  Arnold's  "  Secret  of  Death. " 

The  couplet  is  also  employed  in  combination  to  form 
other  stanzas. 

The  next  form  of  stanza  is  the  Triplet,  which  is  three 
lines  rhyming  together. 

The  following  example  is  a  trochaic  tetrameter  : 


Bear  thrOugh  s6rr6w,  wrong,  find  ruth, 
In  thj;^  heart  th6  dew  6f  youth, 
On  thy  lips  thS  smile  6f  truth. 

And  thiit  smile,  like  sunshine,  dart 
Int5  many  &  sunless  heart, 
For  a  smile  6f  God  th6u  art. 

Longfellow — "  Maidenhood. 


Like  the  couplet,  the  triplet  is  used  in  combination  to 
form  other  stanzas. 

The  next  form  is  a  four-line  stanza  called  a  Quatrain.  The 
quatrain  is  also  used  in  combination  to  form  other  stanzas. 
Quatrains  are  a  very  common  form  of  stanzas,  and  we  shall 
give  examples  of  many  of  them.  Let  us  take  the  following 
iambic  : 


OF  VERSE.  13 


His  was  the  troubled  life, 

The  conflict  and  th6  pain, 
The  grief,  the  bitterness  5f  strife, 

The  honOr  wTthOut  stain. 

Longfellow — "  Charles  Sumner." 

The  first,  second  and  fourth  Unes  are  iambic  trimeter, 
composed  of  three  iambuses.  An  iambus  consists  of  a 
foot  of  two  syllables,  the  first  syllable  is  unaccented,  the 
second  accented.  The  third  line  is  iambic  tetrameter,  com- 
posed of  four  iambic  feet.  In  this  stanza,  the  first  and  third 
lines  rhyme,  the  second  and  fourth. 

From  S.  T.  Coleridge  we  have  the  following  : 


She  listened  with  a  flitting  blush. 

With  downcast  eyes  and  modest  grace  ; 

Frtr  well  she  knew,  I  could  n6t  choose 
Biit  gaze  Qpon  her  face. 

"  Genevieve." 

In  this  stanza,  the  second  and  fourth  lines  rhyme.  The 
first  three  lines  are  iambic  tetrameter,  the  fourth,  iambic 
trimeter. 


My  days  are  in  the  yell6w  leaf, 
The  flowers  and  friiits  6f  love  are  gone  ; 

The  worm,  the  canker,  and  the  grief. 
Are  mine  alone. 

Lord  Byron — (Composed  on  his  36th  birthday.) 

The  first  three  lines  are  iambic  tetrameter,    the  fourth, 
iambic  dimeter. 


14 


7 HE  ART  OF  POETRY. 


IV. 


A  keepsake,  maybe, 
The  gift  5f  another,  perhaps  a  brother, 
Or  lovSr,  wh5  knows  ?  him  her  heart  chose, 

Or  was  hgr  heart-free  ? 
N.  G.  Shepherd— ''On\y  the  Clothes  She  Wore." 

This  stanza  is  iambic,  the  first  and  fourth  lines  rhyming. 
The  first  and  fourth  fines  dimeter,  the  second  and  third, 
tetrameter.     The  second  and  third  have  fine  rhymes. 


Cle6n  hath  a  milliftn  acrSs,  ne'er  a  one  have  I  ; 
Cle5n  dwelleth  in  a  palace,  in  a  cottage  I  ; 
Cie6n  hath  a  dozgn  forttines,  not  a  penny  I  ; 
Yet  the  poorer  of  the  twain  is  Cle6n,  and  n6t  I. 

Charles  Mackay — "Cleon  and  I." 

This  stanza   is    thirteen   syllabled,    heptameter,   trochaic 
measure. 

VI. 

Like  Dian's  kiss,  Qnasked,  tlnsought, 
L6ve  gives  itself,  btit  is  n6t  bought ; 

N6r  voice,  n6r  sound  betrays 

Its  deep,  impassioned  gaze. 

Longfellow — "  Endymion." 

The  first  two  lines  are  iambic  tetrameter,  the  third  ^ind 
fourth,  trimeters. 


Revile  him  not, — the  Tempter  hath 

A  snare  fttr  all  ; 
And  pitying  tears,  n5t  scorn  and  wrath, 

Befit  his  fall ! 

Whittier — "  Ichabod." 


OF  VERSE. 


15 


The  first  and  third  Hnes  are  iambic  trimeters,  the  second 
and  fourth  dimeters.     The  lines  rhyme  alternately. 


T6  show  a  heart  grifif-rent ; 
T6  starve  thy  sin, 

N6t  bin,— 
And  that's  t5  keep  thy  Lent. 

Herrick —  ' '  True  Lent. ' ' 


This  is  a  quatrain  of  iambics. 


What  more  ?  w^  took  ottr  last  adieu, 
And  up,  th6  snowy  Splug^n  drew, 

Bflt  ere  wS  reached  th6  highest  summit 
I  pluck'd  a  daisy,  1  gave  it  yoii. 

Tennyson — "The  Daisy. 

This  is  a  tetrameter  stanza  of  iambuses. 


And  the  night  shall  bg  filled  with  music, 
And  the  cares,  that  infest  thfe  day. 

Shall  fold  their  tents,  like  th6  Arabs, 
And  as  silently  steal  away. 

Longfellow — "The  Day  is  Done. 

This  is  an  anapest. 


0  heard  yg  y6n  pibr6ch  s6und  sad  in  the  gale. 
Where  a  band  cOmeth  slowly  with  weeping  and  wail  ? 
'T  is  the  chief  6f  Gienara  laments  f5r  his  dear  ; 
And  her  sire,  and  the  people,  are  called  t6  her  bier. 

Campbell — "Gienara. 


1 6  THE  AR  T  OF  FOE  TR  Y. 

This  is  an  excellent  anapestic  tetrameter  quatrain. 


Then  shook  the  hills  with  thundgr  riv^n, 
Then  rushed  the  steeds  t6  battle  driven, 
And  louder  than  the  bolts  fif  heaven, 
Far  flashed  the  red  artillery. 

Caw/^^//— "Hohenhnden. " 

This  stanza  is  composed  of  a  triplet  and  an  odd  line.  It 
is  a  tetrameter.  The  last  syllables  of  the  first  three  lines  are 
redundant. 


Inhuman  man  !    CQrse  on  thy  barbaroQs  art, 
And  blasted  be  thy  murder-aiming  eye  ! 
May  never  pity  soothe  thee  with  a  sigh, 

N6r  ever  pleasQre  glad  thy  cruel  heart ! 

Burns — "  On  Seeing  a  Wounded  Hare." 

The  stanza  is  an  iambic  pentameter. 

XIV. 

As  I  look  up  into  yotir  eyes,  and  wait 

F6r  some  response  tO  my  f6nd  gaze  and  toiich. 

It  seems  t5  me  there  is  n5  sadder  fate 
Than  to  be  doomed  t5  loving  overmuch 

Ella  Wheeler  Wilcox — "The  Common  Lot." 

This  is  a  ten-syllabled   iambic  pentameter,  the  first  and 
third,  and  the  second  and  fourth  lines  rhyming. 


Whither,  midst  falling  dew. 
While  glow  the  heavens  with  the  last  steps  5f  day. 
Far,  through  their  rosy  depths,  d5st  thou  pQrsue 

Thy  solitary  way. 

Bryant — "  To  a  Waterfowl. ' 


OF  VERSE. 


17 


This  stanza  is  iambic.  The  first  and  fourth  lines  are 
trimeter,  the  second  and  third,  hexameter. 

We  have  given  many  forms  of  the  quatrain.  We  have 
also  given  the  measure  of  the  stanzas  selected.  We  have 
endeavored  to  present  different  forms  with  a  view  to  show 
at  a  glance  the  numerous  ways  the  quatrain  may  be  formed. 
It  is  a  fine  form  of  the  stanza,  and  is  more  in  use  than  any 
other  style  of  poetry.  Employed  with  the  couplet,  and  the 
triplet,  as  well  as  the  single  line  of  verse,  the  quartrain  is 
capable  of  producing  many  other  torms  of  beautiful  stanzas. 


CHAPTER  IV. 

OF  METER. 

WHILE  we  may  learn  to  distinguish  measures  by  sound, 
if  we  happen  to  have  a  good  ear  for  music,  or  time, 
still,  until  one  acquaints  himself  with  the  art  of  versification 
and  understands  the  rules  or  laws  governing  the  formation 
of  stanzas,  he  cannot  tell  or  give  the  reasons  why  any 
particular  stanza  is  written  in  any  particular  meter.  Meter 
is  derived  from  the  Greek  word  meiron,  and  denotes  a 
measure.  Measure  or  meter  is  a  succession  of  groups  of 
accented  and  unaccented  syllables  in  which  poetry  is  written. 
In  the  classic  languages,  the  measure  depended  upon  the 
way  the  long  and  short  syllables  were  made  to  succeed  one 
another.  Our  modern  verse  depends,  as  we  have  seen,  not 
upon  the  distinction  of  long  and  short  syllables,  but  upon 
that  of  accented  and  unaccented  syllables. 

The  accents  should  occur  at  regular  intervals  ;  and  the 
groups  of  syllables  thus  formed,  each  constitute  a  measure. 

In  the  classic  verse  these  groups  of  long  and  short  sylla- 
bles composing  the  measure,  were  called  feet,  each  foot 
having  a  distinctive  name.  Meter  in  poetry,  being  similar 
to  measures  or  musical  bars  in  music,  received  the  name  of 
feet  because  the  measure  was  regulated  by  the  foot  of  the 
director  of  the  Greek  choirs. 

Keeping  time,  time,  time. 
18  Pof?— "The  Bells." 


OF  METER. 


19 


The  same  names  are  applied  to  the  modern  that  were 
applied  to  the  classic  measures,  from  which  they  are  all 
taken.  An  accented  syllable  in  modern  verse  being  held 
equivalent  to  a  long  syllable  in  classic  verse.  It  is  designated 
by  a  ( — )  macron  ;  an  unaccented  syllable  is  equal  to  a 
short  syllable,  and  designated  by  a  (  >^>  )  breve. 

'T  is  distance  lends  gncliantmgnt  to  the  view, 
And  robes  the  mountain  in  its  azQre  hue. 

Campbell — "  Pleasures  of  Hope." 

The  first  word  is  unaccented  and  is  marked  with  a  breve, 
the  second  accented,  and  marked  with  a  macron,  denoting 
the  character  of  the  measure,  which  is  iambic  pentameter. 

Each  measure  contains  one  accented  syllable,  and  either 
one  or  two  unaccented  syllables. 

In  poetry  monosyllables  receive  accent.  Most  monosyl- 
lables in  our  language  are  variable  in  quantity,. and  can  be 
used  as  long  or  short,  as  strong  or  weak  sounds  suit  the 
sense  or  rhythm. 

Every  emphatic  word,  and  every  accented  syllable,  in 
verse  forms  a  long  or  accented  syllable.  Monosyllabic  unem- 
phatical  words  constitute  short  or  unaccented  syllables. 
Words  of  greater  length  usually  Jiave- fixed  accents.  Ac- 
cented syllables  are  always  long.  Syllables  immediately 
before  or  after  an  accented  syllable  are  usually  short.  To 
determine  the  kind  of  verse,  it  is  always  safe  to  look,  first,  to 
the  words  that  have  a  fixed  accent  ;  second,  to  words  that 
are  emphatic  that  are  unaccented. 

The  number  of  feet  in  a  stanza  must  always  be  reckoned 
by  the  number  of  accented  syllables  constituting  each  line  or 
verse. 

A  syllable  is  a  whole  word  or  each  part  of  a  word  that  is 


20  THE  ART  OF  POETRY. 

Uttered  by  one  impulse  of  the  mouth.  A  word  usually  has 
as  many  syllables  as  it  has  principal  parts.  A  word  of  but 
one  principal  part  is  termed  a  monosyllable ;  as,  God. 
Such  words  are  pronounced  with  but  one  impulse  of  the 
voice. 

A  word  of  two  syllables  is  termed  a  dissyllable  ;  as, 
Godly.  Such  words  require  two  articulations.  Words  of 
three  syllables  or  principal  parts  are  trisyllables,  as  God-li- 
ness,  Un-god-ly,  and  require  as  many  articulations  as  they 
have  syllables. 

Accent  in  poetry  is  defined  as  the  uttering  or  pronouncing 
of  a  word,  noting  the  particular  stress  or  force  of  the  voice 
upon  certain  words  and  syllables  of  words. 

The  acute  accent  is  marked  thus  —  or  thus  / 

All  words  of  more  than  one  syllable  are  accented,  as. 

H6-ly,  H6-li-ness,  tTn-ho-l):. 

Compound  words  may  have  two  accents  ;  as, 

ev-6r-chang-ing,  e-v6n-mind-ed. 

Accent  is  the  peculiar  stress  we  lay  upon  some  word  or 
syllable  of  a  word,  as, 

FOr-give,  Beau-ti-ftil, 

Holding,  Re-ward-Ing, 

Res-O- nance,  Wind-ing-sheet, 

C5n-fu-sion,  Bo-nS-fT-de, 

Fin-Sn-cier,  RS-gdrd, 

R6gue-haQnt-6d,  Hap-py, 

Re-ward,  Ab-sen-tee, 

Scarce-Iy,  C5n-sign-ee, 

These  words  have  all  fixed  accents. 


OF  METER.  21 

We  believe  that  accent  is  the  sole  principle  that  regulates 
our  English  rhythm.  It  is  therefore  necessary  to  observe 
certain  principles  that  govern  accent.  In  words  of  two 
or  more  syllables,  there  is  one  syllable  which  receives  a 
stronger  verbal  accent  than  the  others.  That  is  called  the 
primary  accent.  When  the  word  contains  three  or  more 
syllables,  there  is  a  secondary  accent. 

Poets  have  in  all  ages,  where  the  primary  accent  fell 
upon  the  first  syllable,  in  words  of  three  syllables,  taken  the 
liberty  of  giving  a  secondary  accent  to  the  third  syllable, 
where  the  rhythm  required  it.  Words  of  four  syllables 
have  a  secondary  accent,  unless  the  primary  accent  falls  on 
one  of  the  middle  syllables,  it  is  then  governed  by  the 
same  as  the  trisyllable.  Words  of  five  syllables,  if  accented 
on  the  first,  seldom  have  less  than  three  accented  syllables 
and  never  have  less  than  two. 

When  a  pause  separates  two  syllables,  each  syllable  may 
receive  the  accent.  In  that  case  the  pause  fills  the  place  of 
a  syllable. 

When  a  verse,  or  a  section  of  a  verse,  begins  with  an 
accent,  that  accent  should  be  a  strong,  not  a  weak  one. 

There  is  no  word,  however,  so  unimportant,  that  it  may 
not  be  accented  if  the  rhythm  requires  it.  The  article  may, 
and  does,  receive  accent.  The  rule,  however,  is  that  quali- 
fying words,  as  adjectives,  adverbs,  and  others  of  the  same 
class,  receive  a  fainter  accent  than  the  words  qualified. 

In  WillCarleton's  "The  Burning  of  Chicago,"  we  have  a 
fine  illustration.  Notice  the  fine  effect  of  the  compound 
words  and  how  nicely  the  accent  falls.  The  measure  is 
anapestic.  The  first  four  lines  of  the  stanza  are  ana- 
pestic  trimeter.  The  remaining  ten  lines  are  anapestic 
hexameter.     We  give  the  third  stanza  as  follows  : 


22  THE  ART  OF  POETRY. 

'T  wfls  night  in  the  sIn-bQrdened  city, 
The  turbdlent,  vice-lSden  city, 
The  sin-c6mpassed,  rogue-hSunted  city, 
Though  Queen  Of  the  North  itnd  the  West. 
And  low  \n  their  caves  Of  pOllutiOn  great  beasts  Of  htimanlt^ 

growled  ; 
And  over  his  money-strewn  table  the  gambler  bent  fiercely,  and 

scowled  ; 
And  men  with  nO  seeming  Of  manhoOd,  with  countenance  flaming 

and  fGll, 
Drank  deep  frOm  the  fire-iaden  fountains  that  spring  frOm  the 

rivers  Of  hell ; 
And  men  with  nO  seeming  Of  manhoOd,  who  dreaded  the  coming 

Of  day, 
PrOwled,    cat-like,   fOr  blood-ptlrchased  plfmder  frOm   men   whO 

were  better  than  they; 
And  men  with  nO  seeming  Of  manhoOd,  whOse  dearest-craved  glor>' 

was  shame, 
WhOsejoys  werelhe  sorrOws  Of  others,  whOse  harvests  were  acrCs 

Of  flame, 
SIQnk  whispering  and  low,  in  their  corners,  with  bowie  and  pistol 

tight-pressed. 
In  rogue-haunted,  sin-c&rsed  Chicago,  thOugh  Queen  Of  the  North 

and  the  West. 

The  stanza  is  mixed  by  the  introduction  of  an  iambus  in 
the  first  foot  of  eacli  verse. 

The  words  selected  and  accented  in  the  preceeding 
chapter  were  selected  for  a  two-fold  purpose  ;  first,  to  show 
their  fixed  accents  ;  second,  to  illustrate  meter,  or  measure. 

Every  primary  measure  in  English  poetry  contains  one 
syllable  accented,  and  either  one  or  two,  that  are  unac- 
cented. Accent  may  be  on  either  the  first,  second  or  third 
syllable  of  the  group,  hence  there  are  four  complete  and 
distinct  primary  meters  in  our  modern  poetic  forms.  In 
chapter  two  they  were  mentioned  as  iambic,  trochaic,  ana- 


OF  METER. 


23 


pestic  and  dactylic  measures.      Let  us  further  illustrate  and 
denne  them. 

THE  TROCHEE. 

Two  are  composed  of  dissyllables  ;  as  an  example,  the 
word  ho-ly.  Here  we  have  the  accent  falling  upon  the  first 
syllable,  the  second  being  unaccented.  This  word  in  poetry 
is  called  a  trochee,  and  the  verse  composed  in  it  would  be 
termed  trochaic.  It  is  a  classic  foot  and  simply  means  a 
foot  of  two  syllables,  the  first  accented,  the  second  un- 
accented. 

THE  IAMBUS. 

Let  us  next  take  the  word  re-ward.  Here  we  find  the 
accent  is  placed  upon  the  second  syllable,  instead  of  the 
first.  In  poetry  this  word  is  termed  an  iambus,  a  classic 
foot,  signifying  a  foot  of  two  syllables,  the  first  unaccented, 
the  second  accented.  Verse  written  in  this  measure  is 
termed  iambic. 

The  songs  and  satires  of  the  ancient  classics  were  written 
in  this  measure.  We  have,  then,  two  dissyllabic  meters, 
the  trochaic  and  the  iambic.  The  -greater  part  of  our 
entire  verse  is  written  in  one  or  the  other  of  these  measures. 

The  iambic  measure  is  suited  for  grave  and  dignified 
subjects.  The  poetry  written  in  this  measure  cannot  well 
be  enumerated.  Three-fourths  of  our  modern  verse,  we 
feel  safe  in  saying,  is  written  in  iambic  meter.  The  trochaic 
is  an  elegant  foot.  It  has  a  foster  movement  than  the 
iambic.  It  moves  lightly  and  with  a  brisk  trip.  It  is  not 
encumbered  by  an  extra  syllable,  as  its  sister  foot,  the 
dactyl.     The  trochee  and  iambus  are  interchangeable. 


24 


THE  ART  OF  POETRY. 


THE  DACTYL. 

Of  trisyllabic  feet  we  have  two  that  are  primary.  The 
first  is  the  dactyl,  the  second  the  anapest.  Both  are  classic 
feet.  Let  us  take  the  word  beau-ti-fiil.  Here  the  accent  falls 
upon  the  first  syllable,  the  second  and  third  being  unaccented. 
This  is  the  dactyl.  This  meter  or  foot  is  called  the  dactylic, 
and  signifies  a  meter  having  the  first  foot  accented,  and  the 
other  feet  unaccented. 

THE  ANAPEST. 

Let  us  next  take  the  word  f  in-an-cier.  Here  we  have  a 
word  with  the  accent  falling  upon  the  final  syllable.  This 
is  termed  in  verse  an  anapest.  Verse  written  in  this  meas- 
ure is  termed  anapestic.  It  signifies  in  poetry  a  measure 
having  the  first  two  syllables  unaccented,  the  last  accented. 

The  trisyllabic  measures  are  often  substituted  one  for 
another  and  like  the  dissyllabic  they  are  interchangeable. 
They  are  also  interchangeable  with  the  spondee. 

These  four  primary  measures  are  those  most  in  use.  The 
trisyllabic  measures  are  more  difficult  to  use  than  the  dissyl- 
labic, although  the  dactyl  is  termed  the  flowing  measure  of 
poetry.  It  is  capable  of  many  results,  and  much  beautiful 
verse  is  written  in  the  dactylic. 

We  have  then  four  separate  and  distinct  measures,  which 
are  termed  primary,  as  follows: 

The  Trochaic,  —  — ' 

The  Iambic,  ^^  — 

The  Dactylic,  —  -^  ^^ 

The  Anapestic,  -^  —  — 

The  substitution  of  these  feet  denominated  primary,  where 
one  foot  is  substituted  for  another  frequently,  gives  rise  to 
what  is  known  and  termed  mixed  measure. 


OF  ME  TER. 


25 


We  shall  now  illustrate  the  four  measures  by  a  specimen 
of  verse  written  in  each  kind.  The  following  is  a  trochaic. 
The  stanza  is  the  eight  and  seven  syllabled  trochaic  verse;  a 
twelve  line  stanza,  the  second,  fourth,  sixth  and  eighth  lines 
rhyming. 

When  the  humid  shad5ws  hovSr 

Ov6r  all  thS  starry  spheres, 
And  thS  melancholy  darkness 

Gently  weeps  in  rainy  tears, 
What  a  bliss  t6  press  thg  pTll6w 

Of  S  cottSge-chambSr  bed. 
And  t6  listen  to  th6  pattfir 

Of  the  soft  rSin  overhead  ! 

Coates  Kmney — "Rain  on  the  Roof." 

Our  next  stanza  is  an  iambic  six  line  stanza. 

Ygs  !  bear  thgm  to  their  rest ; 

The  rosy  babe,  tired  with  the  glare  5f  day. 

The  prattler,  fallen  asleep  e'en  in  his  play  ; 

Clasp  them  t6  thy  s6ft  breast, 

6  night ! 

Bless  them  in  dreams  with  a  deep,  hQshed  delight. 

G.  W.  Bethune—''  Hymn  to  Night." 

This  stanza  contains  six  lines,  the  first  and  fourth  are 
iambic  trimeters  ;  the  second,  third,  and  sixth  iambic  lines 
of  ten  syllables,  or  pentameters,  and  the  fifth  a  fine  speci- 
men   of  the  iambic  monometer,  a  verse  of  two  syllables. 

The  next  stanza  is  composed  of  dactyls,  and  known  as 
dactylic  measure  : 

Come  t6  me,  dearest,  I'm  lonely  without  thee. 
Day-time  Snd  night-time,  I'm  thinking  about  thee  ; 
Night-time  and  day-time,  in  dreams  I  behold  thee  ; 
tlnwelc6me  the  waking  which  ceases  t6  fold  thee. 


26  THE  ART  OF  POETR  Y. 

Come  t6  me,  darling,  my  sorr6\vs  tO  lighten. 
Come  in  thy  beauty  t6  bless  iind  t6  brighten  ; 
Come  in  thy  womSnhobd,  meekly  5nd  lowly, 
Come  in  thy  lovingngss  queenly  Snd  holy. 

Joseph  Brennan — "  Come  to  Me,  Dearest." 

This  is  a  stanza  of  eight  lines,  dactylic  tetrameter,  with 
the  exception  of  the  fourth  verse,  which  is  a  pure  Kne  or 
verse  of  amphibrachic  tetrameter,  a  secondary  foot  substi- 
tuted for  the  dactylic,  with  a  truly  pleasing  effect. 

Our  next  stanza  is  anapestic. 

'T  ts  the  voice  6f  the  sluggard  ;  I  heard  him  c6mplain, 
Yoti  have  wak'd  mS  to6  soon,  1  m&st  slumber  again. 
As  the  door  6n  Its  hinges,  s6  he  6n  his  bed, 
TQms  his  sides,  and  his  shoulders,  and  his  heavy  head. 

Dr.  Isaac  Watts — "  The  Sluggard. " 

A  four  line  stanza  of  anapestic  tetrameter. 

In  addition  to  the  measures  which  we  have  termed  pri- 
mary, the  ancients  had  other  measures  denominated  secon- 
dary measures.  They  are  frequently  introduced  into  verse 
to  relieve  monotony,  as  well  as  allowing  the  writer  freer 
scope.  They  are  also  unconsciously  introduced  by  writers 
fervent  with  the  passion  of  the  subject  or  theme,  and  give 
grace  and  style.     They  are  three  in  number. 

The  Spondee,  a  foot  of  two  accented  syllables  ;  as,  praise 
God,  vain  world,  poor  man.  A  verse  in  this  foot  or  meter 
is  termed  spondaic. 

An  Amphibrach  is  a  poetic  foot  consisting  of  three  syl- 
lables, the  first  and  last  syllables  unaccented,  the  middle 
accented  ;  as,  cSnsidSr,  transported. 

A  Cretic,  or  Amphimacer,  a  poetic  foot,  the  first  syllable 
accented,  the  second  unaccented,  and  the  third,  accented  ; 
as,  win-d6w-sash,  wind-ing-sheet,  life-6s-tate. 


OF  ME  TER.  27 

The  dissyllabic  feet  then,  are  three  in  number,  as  follows  : 

The  Trochee  —  — 
The  Iambus  --^  — 
The  Spondee 

The  trisyllabic  are  four  in  number,  as  follows  : 

The  Anapest  ^  -^  —  The  Amphibrach  -^  —  ^ 

The  Dactyl      —  ^  ^  The  Cretic  —  ^  — 

Coleridge,  in  "A  Lesson  for  a  Boy,"  exemplified  these 
seven  feet  : 

Trochee  trips  fr6m  long  t6  short ; 

Fr6m  long  t6  long  in  solemn  sort 

Slow  Spondee  stalks  ;  strong  foot !  ySt  ill-ablS 

Ev€r  t6  come  tip  with  Dactyl  trisyllable. 

Iambics  march  fr6m  short  t5  long  : — 

With  a  leap  find  a  bound  th6  swift  AnapSsts  throng  ; 

OnS  syllable  long,  with  6ne  short  at  each  side, 

Amphibrachys  hastes  with  a  stately  stride  ; 

First  and  last  being  long,  middle  short,  Amphimacer 

Strikes  his  thiindering  hoofs,  like  a  proud  high-bred  racer. 

Where  a  verse  or  line  consists  wholly  of  one  kind  of  feet, 
it  is  termed  pure.  If  a  verse  consists  of  nothing  but  iam- 
buses, it  would  be  a  pure  iambic  verse  ;  if  no  foot  but  the 
trochee,  a  trochaic  ;  if  no  foot  but  the  anapest,  anapestic  ;  if 
dactyls  compose  the  entire  line,  the  line  is  termed  dactylic 
rhythm. 

The  proper  study  of  mankind  is  man. 

Pope. 

This  verse,  as  will  be  seen  by  scansion,  is  iambic  penta- 
meter ;  viz,  a.  ten  syllabled  line  of  iambuses. 


28  THE  ART  OF  POETRY. 

Blessings  on  the6,  little  man, 
Barefo6t  boy,  wTth  cheek  5f  tan  ! 

Whittier — "  The  Barefoot  Boy." 

This  poem  is  seven  syllabled  trochaic  rhythm. 

In  "Why  should  the  Spirit  of  Mortal  be  Proud,"  by 
William  Knox  we  have  a  poem  written  in  pure  anapestic 
rhythm  save  the  first  foot,  which  is  an  iambus. 

The  hand  6f  thS  king,  that  th6  sceptrfi  hath  borne  ; 
The  brow  of  thS  priest,  that  the  mitre  hath  worn  ; 
The  eye  5f  th6  sage,  and  IhS  heart  5f  tlifi  brave, — 
ArS  hidden  and  lost  in  the  depths  6f  the  grfive. 

These  two  lines  from  the  same  poem  are  pure  anapestic 
tetrameter  : 

T6  the  life  we  are  clinging,  they,  als6,  w5uld  cling  ; 
BQt  it  speeds  f5r  Qs  all,  like  a  bird  6n  the  wing. 

The  anapestic  measure  is  a  very  capable  one,  smooth 
flowing  and  strong.  It  is  alike  suitable  for  the  more  serious 
thoughts  of  life,  as  well  as,  some  that  are  exceedingly  mirth- 
ful. Brete  Harte  has  adopted  this  meter  in  very  many  of 
the  quaint,  mirth-provoking  poems  which  he  has  written. 

For  an  illustration  of  the  dactylic,  we  have  taken  a 
stanza  from  Tennyson's   "  Charge  of  the  Light  Brigade  :  " 

"  Forward,  the  Light  Brigade  !  " 
Was  there  a  man  dismayed  ? 
Not  th5ugh  the  soldier  knew 

Some  one  had  bk'indered  : 
Theirs  n5t  t6  make  reply, 
Theirs  n6t  t5  reas5n  why. 
Theirs  btit  t6  do  and  die  : 
Int6  the  valley  fif  Death, 

Rode  the  SIX  hiindred. 


OF  METER. 


29 


This  is  a  fine  specimen  of  dactylic  dimeter,  mixed  with 
trochees  and  anapests. 

The  more  pure  these  several  measures  are  preserved,  the 
more  complete  and  perfect  the  chime  of  the  verse,  which 
should  in  every  instance  be  as  pure  and  smooth  flowing  as 
it  is  in  the  power  of  the  writer  to  make  it.  Where,  how- 
ever, verse  becomes  monotonous,  it  is  well  to  substitute  some 
other  foot.  Verse  is  truly  beautiful  where  the.se  substitutions 
arc  made,  as — 

Know  ye  thS  land  wh6re  th6  cypr&s  and  myrtlS 

ArS  emblems  6f  deeds  that  Sre  done  Tn  their  clime — 
Where  the  rage  6f  the  vulttire,  the  love  6f  the  turtle, 
N5w  melt  int6  softness,  n5w  madden  t6  crime  ? 
Know  ye  the  land  5f  th6  cedSr  find  vine, 
Where  the  flowers  ever  blossSm,  the  beams  ever  shine, 
And  the  light  wings  6f  zephyr,  6ppressed  with  perfume, 
WSx  faint  6'er  the  gardens  6f  GQl  in  her  bloom  ? 
Where  the  citrSn  Snd  olive  Sre  fairest  6f  fruit, 
And  the  voice  6f  the  nightingale  never  is  miite? 
Where  the  virgins  Sre  soft  Ss  the  roses  they  twine, 
And  all,  save  the  spirit  6f  man,  is  divine  ? 
'T  is  the  land  6f  the  East — 'tis  the  clime  6f  the  sun — 
can  he  smile  6n  sQch  deeds  as  his  children  have  done  ? 
Oh,  wild  as  the  accents  6f  lovers'  farewell. 
Are  the  hearts  that  they  bear,  and  the  tales  that  they  tell. 

iyron — "  Bride  of  Abydos." 

Few  prettier  lines  have  ever  been  written  in  trisyllabic 
verse  than  these  lines.  Note  how  smoothly  flowing  the 
rhythm  ;  how  the  measures  mix  and  commingle  together. 
It  will  be  seen  that  the  first  line  is  dactylic  ;  second,  anapestic, 
first  foot  being  iambic  ;  third,  anapestic.  The  stanza  is 
anapestic  rhythm,  that  being  the  prevailing  primary  foot. 


CHAPTER  V. 
OF  RHYTHM. 

POETRY  being  the  polite  literature  of  the  world,  much 
of  its  beauty  necessarily  depends  upon  how  it  is 
written.  No  matter  how  beautiful  the  thought,  it  must  still 
depend  upon  how  that  thought  is  arranged.  To  be  able  to 
tell  at  a  glance  the  measure  and  rhythm  of  poetry  is  worth 
the  effort  of  all  classes,  especially  all  readers  who  enjoy  and 
love  that  literature  that  springs  from  the  cathedral  of  the 
human  heart.  Musical  notes  properly  arranged  by  the 
hand  of  a  master,  give  joy  to  the  listener.  There  is  music 
that  lulls  to  rest.  There  is  music  that  curdles  the  blood. 
There  is  music  that  is  awe  inspiring.  There  is  music  that 
breathes  of  love.  There  is  rhythm  in  music.  There  is 
rhythm  in  poetry,  the  kindred  art.  How  much  poetry 
depends  upon  rhythm  let  James  Montgomery,  a  master 
spirit  tell  us  :  "  How  much  the  power  of  poetry  depends 
upon  the  nice  inflections  of  rhythm  alone,  may  be  proved 
by  taking  the  finest  passages  of  Milton  or  Shakespeare,  and 
merely  putting  them  into  prose  with  the  least  possible  varia- 
tion of  the  words  themselves.  The  attempt  would  be  like 
gathering  up  dewdrops  which  appear  jewels  and  pearls  on 
the  grass,  but  run  into  water  in  the  hands  ;  the  essence  and 
the  elements  remain,  but  the  grace,  the  sparkle  and  the 
form  are  gone. ' '  30 


OF  RHYTHM. 


31 


Poetry  originates  in  the  enjoyment  of  equality  and 
fitness.  Rhythm,  meter,  rhyme,  stanza,  alliteration,  and 
other  analogous  effects  are  employed  in  the  moods  of 
verse.  Many  fail  to  make  any  distinction  between  meter  and 
rhythm.  Meter  is  the  arrangement  of  poetic  feet,  or  of 
accented  and  unaccented  syllables  into  verse.  Rhythm 
signifies  the  character  of  the  feet  thus  arranged,  as, 

Oh  !  It  was  pitiffil  ! 
Near  SjA'hOle  city  full, 
Home  sh6  had  none. 

Hood — "  The  Bridge  of  Sighs." 

This  is  termed  dactylic  rhythm,  a  dactylic  dimeter,  it 
being  a  line  or  measure  consisting  of  two  dactyls  ;  thus,  a 
line  composed  of  iambuses,  anapests,  trochees,  and  dactyls, 
being  primary  feet,  would  be  termed  iambic  rhythm,  ana- 
pestic  rhythm,  trochaic  rhythm,  dactylic  rhythm. 

Every  reader  of  poetry  has  observed  that  it  seldom 
happens  that  verse  proceeds  uniformly  with  a  succession  of 
absolutely  equal  feet ;  namely,  with  a  regular  succession  of 
trochees,  iambuses,  spondees,  dactyls,  amphibrachys,  cretics 
or  anapests  only.  The  most  musical  lines  are  often  inter- 
rupted in  the  succession  and  are  varied  by  the  introduction 
of  other  feet.  Trochees  are  substituted  for  iambuses ; 
anapests,  amphibrachys,  dactyls;  spondees  and  cretics  are 
substituted  one  for  an  other.  These  feet  may  be  termed 
equivalents,  for  the  feet  are  of  the  same  length,  in  'other 
words,  where  they  are  of  the  same  number  of  accented  and 
unaccented  syllables. 

We  find  trochees  at  the  beginning  of  a  verse  we  term 
iambic,  where  the  iambus  is  the  prevailing  foot,  denoting 
that  the  rhythm  is  in  its  character  iambic.  We  also 
frequently  find  anapests  in   a    line  that  is  iambic  rhythm; 


32 


THE  ART  OF  POETRY. 


trochees  are  interrupted  by  the  dactyl  ;  dactyls  are  inter- 
rupted or  interspersed  with  the  amphibrachys  or  some  other 
trisyllabic  foot.  It  is  allowable  thus  to  vary  the  verse,  if 
the  time  and  melody  of  the  line  be  preserved.  The  time 
and  the  melody  of  the  verse  are  often  rendered  more 
harmonious  by  the  substitution  of  the  trisyllabic  foot  for  the 
dissyllabic,  or  the  dissyllabic  foot  for  the  trisyllabic ;  or,  in 
other  words,  the  substitution  of  one  foot  for  another,  where 
there  is  still  preserved  harmony  in  the  sound,  or  where  the 
substituted  foot  is  equal  to,  or  amounts  to  an  equivalent. 
Pure  dactylic  stanzas  are  rare.  Anapestic  stanzas  are  seldom 
pure  ;  and  even  the  trochaic  and  iambic  rhythms,  although 
purer  than  other  rhythms  are  interspersed  with  spondees, 
anapests,  dactyls,  or  some  other  foot. 

The  classics  were  pleased  to  term  the  substitution  of  the 
trisyllabic  for  the  dissyllabic  foot,  an  irrational  foot. 

In  the  iambic  measure  we  more  frequently  find  a  spondee 
or  an  anapest  substituted  for  the  iambus  ;  in  a  trochaic  foot 
we  more  frequently  find  the  dactyl  as  a  substitute  ;  in  the 
dactylic  foot,  the  trochee,  the  spondee,  the  amphibrach  and 
the  cretic.  In  these  substitutions  equality  should  be  main- 
tained. 


CHAPTER  VI. 
OF  SCANSION. 

SCANNING  or  scansion  of  verse,  is  critically  to  examine 
and  resolve  it  into  poetic  feet.  Should  there  be  a 
syllable  wanting  to  complete  the  measure  of  a  line,  the  foot 
is  imperfect,  and  the  line  is  said  to  be  catalectic. 

Where  there  is  a  syllable  over  at  the  end  of  the  line  it  is 
said  to  be  hypermeter,  or  redundant.  When,  however, 
the  line  is  found  to  be  neither  deficient  nor  redundant,  it  is. 
said  to  be  acatalectic.  We  have  seen  that  meter  is  a  system 
employed  in  the  formation  of  verses.  Meter  depends  not 
only  on  the  character  of  the  feet  employed,  but  likewise  on 
the  number  of  feet  employed  in  the  formation  of  the  line  or 
verse.  We  have,  therefore,  several  varieties  of  meter  or 
measure,  determined  by  the  number  of  poetic  feet  the  line 
contains,  as  : 

A  monometer,  or  a  line  composed  of  one  foot. 

'Tis  time  ! 
A  d. meter,  a  line  of  two  feet. 

The  twilight  falls. 

A  trimeter,  a  line  of  three  feet. 
Th6  evening  shades  Sppear 


2^  THE  ART  OF  POETRY. 

A  tetrameter,  a  line  of  four  feet. 
N6  little  stars  shine  oiit  t6-nTght. 

A  pentameter,  a  line  of  five  feet. 

H6w  glad  15  feel  thSt  joyofls  night  is  here. 

A  hexameter,  a  line  of  six  feet. 

C5me  haste  !    And  'mid  thS  darkness  flee  ,1way,  Sway  ! 

A  heptameter,  a  line  of  seven  feet. 

Erg  soon  Sgain  th6  light  6f  still  Another  tell-tille  day. 

An  octometer,  a  line  of  eight  feet. 

t  hear  thS  sound  6f  hoof  Sfar  !   To  arms  !    T6  arms  ! 
'Tis  war  !   'Tis  war  ! 

Lines  in  this  measure,  written  in  trochees  or  in  iambuses 
are  usually  too  lengthy  for  the  ordinary  page,  hence,  are 
frequently  written  in  tetrameter. 

It  is  more  important  in  writing  poetry  to  preserve  the 
same  number  of  accents  in  lines  of  like  measure  than  the 
same  number  of  syllables.  An  exception  to  this  rule  is  in 
our  ballad  measure,  where  feet  of  three  syllables  are  some- 
times intermingled  with  the  ordinary  feet  of  two  syllables. 
The  redundant  syllable  in  that  case  should  be  unaccented 
and  devoid  of  stress,  and  capable  of  being  pronounced 
rapidly.  The  time  of  the  trisyllabic  foot  and  the  time  of  the 
dissyllabic  foot  should  be  equal.  Each  syllable  should  be 
pronounced  distinctly,  but  with  greater  rapidity.  Our  best 
writers  prefer  the  use  of  words  in  their  natural  state,  to 
words  used  as  follows:  flowers  to  flow'rs,  silvery  to  silv'ry, 
glistening  to  glist'ning,  murmuring  to  murm'ring,  th'  for 
the,  i'  for  in,  a'  for  an.  We  have  here  a  stanza  from 
VVhittier. 


OF  SCANS  I  OX.  35 

And  I,  Obedient  to  thy  will, 

Have  come  j1  simple  wreath  t6  lay, 
Stiperflilotts,  on  ft  grave  th.1t  still 
Is  sweet  with  all  th6  flowers  Of  May. 

"Sumner." 
From  Longfellow : 

Thou  hast  taught  m6,  Silent  Riv^r  ! 

Many  a  less6n,  deep  Snd  long  ; 
Thou  hast  been  a  generous  giv^r  ; 
I  can  give  theS  but  a  song. 

"To  the  River  Charles." 
From  Willis  : 

Bright  flag  at  yondfer  tapering  mast ! 
Fling  out  y5ur  field  5f  azurg  blue  ; 
Let  star  and  stripe  b6  westward  cast, 
And  point  as  freedom's  eaglS  flew  ! 
Strain  home  !     6h,  lithe  and  quivering  spars  ! 
Point  home,  my  country's  flag  6f  stars  ! 

"  Lines  on  Leaving  Europe." 
From  Tennyson  : 

Begins  the  clash  and  clang  that  tells 
The  joy  to  ever)'  wandering  breeze  ; 
The  blind  wall  rocks,  and  on  the  trees 

The  dead  leaf  trembles  to  the  bells. 

"  In  Memoriam." 

In  the  first  stanza,  the  words  6bedient,  superfluous  and 
flowers  are  used  by  the  writer  making  lines  of  nine 
syllables,  instead  of  syncopating  the  words ;  in  the 
second  stanza,  many  a,  and  generoiis,  not  gen'rous  ;  in  the 
third,  tapering  and  quivering  are  used  and  not  syncopated  ; 
in  the  fourth  stanza,  every  and  wandering  are  used  in  their 
full  form  instead  of  being  contracted  to  the  forms  ev'ry  and 
wand' ring  as  is  often  the  case  in  some  poems.      Elision  and 


36  THE  ART  OF  POETRY. 

syncope,  as  a  rule  is  no  longer  in  use  where  it  can  be 
avoided,  nevertheless,  it  is  true,  in  some  cases  it  is  a  help  to 
the  writer,  and  lends  a  charm  to  the  rhythm. 

Time  is  essentially  the  basis  of  all  true  rhythm,  and 
true  rhythm  is  in  fact  frequently  destroyed  to  the  cultivated 
ear  by  the  syncopation  of  words  that  properly  belong  in  the 
line,  and  that  only  need  to  be  spoken  in  quicker  time, 
which  the  ear  is  ahvays  ready  to  recognize.  Not  only  is  the 
ear  offended,  but  the  eye,  that  other  organ  that  enables  us 
to  perceive  the  beauty  of  written  verse. 

POETIC  PAUSES. 

In  addition  to  the  regular  pauses  that  occur  in  the  verse 
or  line  of  poetry,  there  are  other  pauses,  know^n  as  the. 
cesural,  and  the  final  pause.  The  Cesural  pause  is  a  natu- 
ral suspension  of  the  voice,  which  occurs  in  the  verse,  and 
is  readily  perceived  when  the  verse  is  properly  read.  It  i? 
found  in  long  lines,  and  usually  occurs  about  the  middle  of 
the  line.  The  art  of  the  poet  is  shown  in  making  these 
pauses  occur  where  the  thought  requires  them.  Iambic 
pentameters  usually  have  the  cesural  pause  come  after  the 
fourth  or  fifth  syllables.  In  Alexandrine,  or  iambic  hexa- 
meter, the  cesural  pause  usually  occurs  after  the  third  foot. 
Two  or  more  cesurals  may  sometimes  occur  in  the  same 
line.     The  cesura  is  indicated  by  two  parallel  lines  ;  thus,  ||. 

The  final  pause  occurs  at  the  end  of  every  poetic  line, 
and  should  always  be  observed  in  reading,  even  when  not 
required  by  the  grammatical  construction. 

We  have  selected  the  following  lines  from  Pope,  to  illus- 
trate the  position  of  the  cesura.  Pope's  ear  was  exceed- 
ingly accurate  in  matters  of  euphony,  and  the  cesural  pause 


OF  SCANSION. 


37 


usually  occurs  after  the  fourth  or  fifth  syllable  in  his  verse 
or  line.     Observe  their  position  in  the  following  lines  :  • 


Btit  most  by  numbers  ||  judge  a  port's  song. 

And  smooth  6r  rough,  |j  witli  them,  is  right  or  wrong  ; 

ThSse  equal  syllables  i|  alone  require, 

Th6'  6ft  the  ear  ||  th6  opSn  vowSls  tire  ; 

While  expletives  ||  their  feeble  aid  d6  join  ; 

And  ten  16ng  words  ||  6ft  creep  in  one  dQU  line  : 

While  they  ring  round  ||  the  same  Unvaried  chimes, 

With  sure  returns  ||  5f  still  recurring  rhymes  ; 

Where  'er  y6u  find  ||  'the  cooling  western  breeze,' 

In  the  next  line  ||  it  '  whispers  through  the  trees  : ' 

If  crystal  streams  ||  'with  pleasing  murmtirs  creep,' 

The  reader's  threat'ned  || — not  in  vain — with  '  sleep.' 

Then  at  the  last  ||  and  only  couplet,  fraught 

With  some  unmeaning  thing  ||  they  call  a  thought, 

A  needless  Alexandrine  ||  ends  the  song, 

That,  like  a  wounded  snake,  ||  drags  its  sl5w  length  along. 

Leave  such  t6  tune  ||  their  own  dtill  rhymes,  t6  know 

What's  roundly  smooth,  ||  6r  languishingly  slow; 

And  praise  the  easy  vigSr  j|  of  a  line 

Where  Denham's  strength  ||  and  Waller's  sweetness  join. 

Triie  ease  in  writing  ||  comes  fr5m  art,  nOt  chance. 

As  those  m6ve  easiest  ||  who  have  learned  t6  dance. 

'T  is  not  enough  ||  n6  harshness  gives  offense, 

The  sound  mtist  seem  an  ech5  ||  to  the  sense. 

"  Essay  on  Criticism." 


Let    us    take    next   an    iambic    hexameter   by    William 
Wordsworth. 

The  dew  was  falling  fast,  ||  the  stars  began  t5  blink  ; 

I  heard  a  voice  ;  it  said,  ||  "  Drink,  pretty  creature,  drink  !  " 

And,  looking  o'er  the  hedge,  ||  before  me  1  espied 

A  snow-white  mountain  lamb,  ||  with  a  maiden  at  its  side. 


38  THE  ART  Oh  POETRY. 

It  will  be  observed  the  pause  occurs  after  the  third  foot. 
It  is  difficult  to  lay  down  absolute  rules  for  the  use  of  the 
cesura  in  English  poetry.  In  a  decasyllabic  line,  it  may 
occur  after  any  foot,  and  it  is  by  shifting  its  place,  that 
verse  is  rendered  less  monotonous.  In  shorter  poems,  es- 
pecially of  the  amatory  or  lyric  nature,  it  generally  falls 
midway  in  the  line  or  verse.  The  cesura  should  not  divide 
a  word  ;  neither  should  it  separate  an  adjective  and  its 
noun  ;  nor  an  adverb  and  verb,  when  in  either  case,  the 
latter  immediately  follows  the  former.  The  cesura  is  also 
counted  a  foot  in  poetry. 

A  single  emphatic  syllable  is  used  frequently  in  variegated 
forms  of  verse,  and  when  thus  taken  by  itself  it  is  termed  a 
cesura.  To  illustrate,  let  us  take  a  stanza  in  iambic  rhythm 
— iambic  trimeter  : 

Break,  break,  break. 
On  thy  cold  gray  stones,  0  sea  ! 
And  I  would  that  my  tongue  cotlld  fitter 
The  thoughts  that  arise  in  me. 

Tennyson — "Break,  Break,  Break." 

We  select  the  following  stanza.  It  is  trochaic  rhythm, 
one  of  the  best  of  a  fastidious  poet's  productions.  Noth- 
ing in  its  line  has  ever  excelled  it.  We  give  the  second 
stanza  : 

Hear  the  mellOw  wedding  bells. 
Golden  bells  ! 
What  a  world  6f  happiness  their  harmOny  fSretells  ! 
Through  the  balmy  air  6f  night, 
How  they  ring  5ut  their  delight ! 
From  the  molten  golden  notes. 

And  all  in  tune. 
What  a  liquid  ditty  floats 


OF  SCANSION.  39 

To  the  turtle-dove  that  listens,  while  she  gloats 
On  the  moon  ! 
Oh,  from  out  the  sounding  cells, 
What  it  gush  6f  euphOny  voluminously  wells  ! 
How  It  swells  I 
How  Kt  dwells 
On  the  Futiire  !     how  tt  tells 
Of  the  rapttire  that  impels 
To  the  swinging  and  the  ringtng 

Ofthe  bells,  bells,  bells. 
Of  the  bells,  bells,  bells,  bells, 
Bells,  bells,  bells,— 
To  the  rhyming  and  the  chiming  of  the  bells. 

Poe—'"Y\\ft  Bells." 


CHAPTER  VII. 
OF  RHYME. 

S6me  rhyme  &  neighbor's  name  t6  lash ; 
S6me  rhyme  [vSin  thought !  ]  f5r  needfti'  cash  , 
S5me  rhyme  t5  court  the  country  clash, 

And  make  S  pun  ; 
Fftr  me,  an  aim  1  nev^r  ffish — 

1  rhyme  f6r  fun. 

Burns — "To  James  Smith." 

RHYME  in  poetry  is  of  ancient  origin.  It  was  brought 
in  by  the  Gothic  conquerors  during  the  middle  ages. 
Some  Latin  poetry  rhymed  as  early  as  500  A.  D.  It  can 
hardly  be  considered  the  invention  of  any  race  or  age.  It  is 
universal,  like  music,  painting,  and  the  sister  arts.  Since  its 
first  use  it  has  steadily  gained  favor,  until  it  is  now  the  popular 
form  of  poetic  expression.  Alliteration  was  the  common  form 
of  the  Anglo-Saxon  poetry  ;  it  had  no  other  ornament.  Al- 
though no  longer  a  regular  constituent  of  English  verse,  allit- 
eration is  of  frequent  occurrence  in  modern  poetry.  In  its 
most  usual  sense,  rhyme  is  a  correspondence  of  sound  in  the 
last  syllables  of  two  or  more  lines,  succeeding  each  other 
immediately,  or  at  no  great  distance.  It  is  used  to  mark  the 
ends  of  lines,  or  verses,  of  poetry.  Rhyme  depends  upon  the 
sound,  and  not  upon  the  spelling.  To  make  a  perfect  rhyme 
it  is  necessary  that  the  syllables  be  both  accented.     It  is 


OF  RHYME. 


4* 


also  necessary  that  the  vowel  sounds  be  the  same  ;  that  the 
sounds  following  the  vowel  sounds  be  the  same  ;  that  the 
sounds  preceding  the  vowel  sounds  be  different.  Good  and 
stood,  talk  and  walk,  code  and  ode,  dodge  and  lodge,  plod 
and  odd,  toil  and  boil,  all  are  perfect  rhymes.  We  give  a 
stanza  from  the  famous  national  hymn  of  France  ■ 

Y6  sons  6f  France,  Swake  t6  glory  ! 

Hark  !  Hark  !  What  myriads  bid  yoO  rise  ! 
YoQr  children,  wives,  Snd  grandsires  hoary, 

BShold  their  tears  Snd  hear  their  cries. 

Rouget de  Lisle — "The  Marseilles  Hymn." 

Here  the  first  and  third  lines  have  a  redundant  syllable. 
Here  the  first  and  third  lines  have  the  common  sound  of 
"ory,"  in  the  first  line  being  preceded  by  the  consonants 
"gl,"  in  the  third  by  the  consonant  "h. "  The  second 
and  fourth  lines  have  the  common  sound  "  ise,"  the  second 
line  being  preceded  by  the  consonant  "r,"  and  the  fourth 
by  the  consonants  "  cr. "  Rhyme  is  not  always  the  corre- 
spondence of  sounds  in  the  terminating  or  final  syllables  of 
two  lines  or  verses.  The  lines  may  end  with  words  that  are 
spelled  differently,  and  that  may  be  entirely  different  in  their 
meaning,  yet,  they  may  have  an_exact  correspondence  of 
sound  ;  as  peak,  pique,  and  peek  ;  also  raze,  raise,  and  rays. 
These  words  would  not  form  rhymes,  there  being  a  sameness 
of  the  initial  consonants.  Should  the  initial  consonants  be 
changed,  we  shall  have  words  that  make  perfect  rhymes,  as 
the  following  : 

For  the  striict&re  that  we  raise, 

Time  is  with  materials  filled ; 
Ourt6-days  and  yesterdays 

Are  the  blocks  with  which  wS  build. 

Lotigfellow — "  The  Builders. " 


42 


THE  ART  OF  POETR  V. 


The  common  sound  "aise,"  "ays"  here  have  the  initial 
consonants  "  r "  and  "  d "  different,  and  hence  form  a 
perfect  rhyme.  It  is  an  absolute  rule  that  no  syllable  should 
rhyme  with  itself  Rhyme  always  speaks  to  the  ear  and  not 
to  the  eye.  Perfect  rhymes  are  pleasing  to  the  ear  and  not 
a  mere  ornament.  All  people  who  have  adopted  an 
accented  rhythm  have  adopted  rhyme.  Rhyme  marks  and 
helps  us  find  the  accent,  and  strengthens  and  supports 
rhythm. 

We  have  in  poetry  various  kinds  of  rhymes.  They  may 
be  denominated,  alliteration,  assonantal,  consonantal,  mas- 
culine, feminine,  triple,  middle,  sectional,  inverse  and  task  of 
odd  rhymes. 

ALLITERATION. 

As  we  have  already  seen,  alliteration  was  an  old  form  of 
Anglo-Saxon  verse,  which  was  simply  rhyme  at  the  begin- 
ning of  the  word  instead  of  at  its  ending.  It  was  the  dis- 
tinctive characteristic  of  all  the  Gothic  meters.  Poems 
continued  to  be  written  in  English,  the  verse  of  which  was 
merely  alliterative, down  to  the  time  of  the  sixteenth  century. 
The  taste,  however,  that  introduced  rhyme  rejected  alliter- 
ation to  a  very  great  extent,  and  its  use  began  to  decline. 
Chaucer  was  the  first  English  poet  particularly  to  discard  it 
for  rhyme,  and  hence,  might  be  termed  the  father  of 
English  rhyme.  While  the  recurrence  of  the  same  sound 
gave  pleasure  and  satisfaction  to  the  sense,  slight,  it  is 
true,  still  one  that  was  perceptible  enough  ;  yet,  there  can 
be  but  little  doubt,  that  the  affectation  displayed  in  crowding 
every  line  with  alliteration,  by  which  inappropriate  words 
were  often  introduced,  not  unfrequently  obscuring  the 
sense  and  offending  the  taste,  led  to  its  disuse.     Alliteration 


OF  RHYME.  43 

is,  however,  still  much  used  in  modern  verse.  There  is  a 
tendency  in  our  nature  to  form  recurring  sounds  ;  hence 
alliteration  is  frequently  produced  without  any  set  design  ; 
and  it  is  frequently  so  sparingly  and  unobtrusively  intro- 
duced, that  many  readers  of  poetry  are  gratified  by  the 
graceful  use  of  alliteration,  though  not  aware  to  what  source 
their  gratification  is  owing. 

We  give  the  following  from  a  poem  of  Thomas  W. 
Parsons  : 

September  strews  th6  woodlSnd  o'er 

With  many  S  brillijint  c6l6r ; 
The  world  is  brighter  than  before, 

Why  should  otir  hearts  b6  duller? 
Sorrow  and  the  scarlet  leaf, 

sad  thoughts  and  siinny  weather. 
Ah  me  !     This  glory  and  this  grief 

Agree  n6t  well  tftgether. 

"A  Song  for  September." 

This  is  an  iambic  tetrameter,  the  second,  fourth,  sixth 
and  eighth  lines  redundant. 

We  give  the  following,  an  iambic  tetrameter  : 

warm  broke  the  breeze  Sgainst  the  brow, 

Dry  sang  the  tackle,  sang  the  sail  : 
The  Lady's-head  tipon  the  prow 

Catight  the  shrill  salt,  And  sheered  the  gale. 
The  broad  seas  swelled  t6  meet  the  keel, 

And  swept  behind  :  s6  quick  the  run, 
we  felt  the  good  ship  shake  Snd  reel, 

we  seemed  t6  sail  into  the  Sun  ! 

Tennyson — "  The  Voyage." 

We  select  this  stanza  from  the  Quaker  poet.  The  first 
and  fourth  lines,  iambic  tetrameter,  the  third  and  fourth, 
iambic  dimeter,  with  a  redundant  syllable. 


44  THE  ART  OF  POETRY. 

She  sat  beneath  the  broad-armed  elms 

That  skirt  the  mowing-meadSw, 
And  watched  the  gentle  west-wind  weave 

The  grass  with  shine  and  shad5w. 

Whittier — "Among  the  Hills." 

6laf,  the  King,  5ne  siimmer  morn, 
Blew  a  blast  on  his  bugle-horn. 

Longfellow — "The  Saga  of  King  Olaf." 

Songfftl,  soulflil,  s6rr6wfQl  Ireland  ! 

Lanier — "Ireland." 

ASSONANTAL. 

Assonantal  rhyme  is  the  correspondence  of  the  vowels  at 
the  end  of  two  lines.  Such  rhymes  are  not  very  frequent  in 
our  modern  English  verse.  Rhyme  by  what  is  termed 
similar  sound,  or  allowable  rhymes  are  considered  intolerable 
at  the  present  time.  In  assonance,  while  the  vowels  of  the 
last  accented  syllable  and  in  all  subsequent  syllables  are  the 
same,  the  consonants  must  all  be  different.  Formerly  it 
was  allowable  to  rhyme  heels  with  fields,  town  with  round, 
ask  with  blast,  but  such  usage  is  no  longer  indulged  in  by 
finished  writers. 

There  may  be  found  an  occasional  perfect  assonantal 
rhyme,  as  : 

1  in  these  flowery  meads  wotild  be. 
These  crystal  streams  shoQld  solace  me  ; 
T5  whose  harmonious  bubbling  noise 
I,  with  my  iingie,  wofild  rejoice, 
Sit  here,  and  see  the  turtle-dove 
C6urt  his  chaste  mate  XsS  acts  f)f  love. 

Izaak  Walton — "The  Angler's  Wish." 

The  first  two  lines  of  this  poem  of  true  nature  furnish  us 
a  fine  specimen  of  the  perfect  assonantal  rhyme  in  the  words 


OF  RHYME. 


45 


"be"  and  "me."     The  final  vowel  "e"  being  the  same, 
and  the  consonants  "  b  "  and  "  m  "  being  different. 

CONSONANTAL. 

The  last  two  lines  of  the  above  poem  furnish  us  with  a 
specimen  of  another  kind  of  rhyme,  by  far  the  most  common 
in  English  poetry.  It  is  the  consonantal  rhyme,  and  is  the 
correspondence  of  the  vowel  and  the  final  consonant  or 
consonants  in  the  rhyming  syllables.  It  will  be  seen  that 
the  consonants  "d"  and  "1"  in  the  rhyming  words  "dove" 
and  "love"  are  different,  while  there  is  a  perfect  corre- 
spondence in  the  vowels  and  consonants  ' '  ove. ' '  The 
following  stanza  furnishes  us  with  a  fine  example  of 
the  consonantal : 

F15w  gently,  swefit  Aft6n,  among  thy  grefin  braes, 
Fl6w  gently,  swe^t  riv6r,  thfi  theme  6f  my  lays  ; 
M)^  Mary  's  asleep  by  thy  murmQring  stream, 
F16w  gently,  swefet  AftOn,  disturb  n6t  h6r  dream. 

Burns— ''MXan  Water." 

MASCULINE  AND  FEMININE. 

Masculine  rhymes  are  single  rhymes,  like  "braes"  and 
'  *  lays  ;  "  "  stream  ' '  and  ' '  dream  ' '  in  the  last  stanza. 
They  constitute  one  accented  syllable.  They  are  to  be 
distinguished  from  those  rhymes  that  have  an  accented 
syllable  followed  by  an  unaccented  one,  the  last  two  sylla- 
bles of  the  line  rhyming  with  the  last  two  of  its  mate. 
Longfellow's  "  Hiawatha"  is  a  good  specimen  of  what  is 
described  : 

At  the  feet  6f  LaughKng  Watgr 

HiSwatha  laid  his  burden. 

Threw  th6  red  de^r  from  hfe  shoulders ; 


46  THE  AK  T  OF  POE  TR  I . 

And  the  maiden  looked  tip  at  hini, 
Looked  tip  from  h6r  mat  Of  rushes, 
Said  with  gentlS  look  Snd  accgnt, 
"  You  are  welc6me  HiSwatha  1 " 

The  above  selection  from  Longfellow  is  trochaic  rhythm, 
tetrameter  measure,  with  the  feminine  or  double  ending. 
The  principal  rhyming  syllables  are  usually  long.  Double 
rhyme  adds  one  short  syllable.  Triple  rhyme,  of  which 
we  shall  next  speak,  two.  Such  syllables  in  iambic  and 
anapestic  verses  are  redundant ;  in  lines  of  any  other  kind 
they  are  usually  included  in  the  measure. 

TRIPLE. 
Triple  rhymes  have  three  corresponding  syllables  ;  as, 

care,  mad  t6  see  a  man  sae  happy, 
E'Sn  drowned  himself  amang  the  nappy  ! 
As  bees  fleS  hame  wl'  lades  6'  treasure, 
The  minutes  winged  thgir  way  wi'  pleasfire ; 
Kings  may  bS  blest,  btit  Tarn  was  glo-ri-otis, 
O'gr  a'  the  cares  6'  life  vTc-to-ri-otis. 

.ff/^rw^  —  "  Tam  O'Shanter." 

This  is  an  iambic  tetrameter.  All  the  lines  are  redundant, 
the  fifth  and  sixth  furnishing  a  fine  example  of  triple  rhyme. 

MIDDLE. 

Middle  rhymes  are  a  correspondence  of  sounds  at  the 
middle  and  the  close  of  a  verse.  It  occurs  at  the  natural 
pause  or  suspension  of  the  voice  in  the  line,  and  serves  to 
mark  the  two  sections  of  the  verse. 

We  give  an  example,  an  iambic  tetrameter,  the  second 
and  third  lines  redundant  : 


OF  RHYME.  47 

ThS  splend6r  falls  6n  castlS  walls 
And  snowy  summits  old  in  story: 
The  long  lifght  shakes  Across  th6  lakes, 
And  the  wild  catarSct  leaps  in  glory. 

Tennyson — ' '  The  Princess. ' ' 


It  was  said  that  Burns  was  the  poet  of  the  many,  while 
Coleridge  was  the  poet  of  the  few.  Coleridge  was  one  of  the 
most  tasteful  of  writers  and.  used  the  middle  rhyme  with 
pleasing  effect  in  one  of  his  finest  poems — a  f)oem  wTitten  to 
help  pay  the  expenses  of  a  trip  he  and  Wordsworth  were 
taking  together.  He  realized  twenty-five  dollars  from  its 
sale,  Wordsworth  suggested  largely  for  it,  and  wrote  some 
of  its  stanzas.    We  select  three  stanzas  : 

And  through  the  drifts  th6  snowy  clifts 

Did  send  if  dismal  sheen  : 
N6r  shapes  6f  men  n6r  beasts  wS  ken — 

The  ice  wis  all  between. 

The  ice  wis  here,  the  ice  wfls  there. 

The  ice  was  all  around  : 
It  cracked  Snd  growled,  Snd  roared  and  howled, 

Like  noises  in  a  swound  ! 

At  length  did  cross  an  Albarross: 

Through  the  fog  it  came  ; 
As  if  it  had  been  a  Christian  soul, 

we  hailed  it  in  G5d's  name. 
Coleridge — "  The  Rhyme  of  the  Ancient  Mariner." 

Middle  Rhyme  in  the  hands  of  the  skillful  poet  adds  a 
charm  and  lends  music  to  the  rhythm.  In  the  hands  of 
those  not  skilled  it  is  likely  to  be  overdrawn. 


48  THE  ART  OF  POETRY. 

SECTIONAL. 

Sectional  rhyme  is  akin  to  middle  rhyme.      It  occurs  in 
the  line  and  exists  between  syllables  of  the  same  section  ;  as, 

Lightly  And  brightly  breaks  ftway 
The  morning  from  hSr  mantle  gray. 

Byron — "  Siege  of  Corinth." 

They  rushed  and  pushed,  Snd  bluide  6utgushed. 

Burns — "Sheriff  Muir." 

But  then  to  see  hOw  ye're  nSgleckit, 
H6w  huffed  an'  cuffed, Jin'  disrepeckit ! 

Burns — ' '  Twa  Dogs. " 

S5  might,  n5t  right,  did  thrust  inS  to  the  crown. 

Shakespeare — "  Measure  for  Measure." 

All  this  derisi6n 
Shall  seem  a  dream  and  fruitless  vision. 

Shakespeare — "Midsummer Night's  Dream." 

Then  ye  may  tell,  hbw  pell  and  mell, 
By  red  claymores,  and  muskets'  knell, 
Wi'  dying  yell,  the  tories  fell. 

Burns — "  Sheriff  Muir." 

Who  careth  nOr  spareth  till  spent  he  hath  all, 
6f  bobbing,  n6t  robbing,  be  fearfOl  he  shall. 

Thoinas  Tusser. 

N5t  fearing  n6r  caring  i"5r  hell  n5r  f5r  heaven. 

Thotnas  Tusser. 

ROcks,  caves,  lakes,  fens,  bOgs,  dens  and  shades  5f  death. 

Milton — "  Paradise  Lost." 


OF  RHYME. 


49 


S5  manj^  Ss  love  m6,  find  use  m6  aright, 
With  treasQre  and  pleastire  1  richly  requite. 

Thomas  Tusser. 

INVERSE. 

Inverse  rhyme  occurs  between  the  last  accented  syllable 
before  the  cesura  and  the  first  accented  syllable  after  the 
cesural  pause.     We  have   fine  examples  in  the  following  : 

As  Tammie  glow'rSd,  amazed  and  curiotis, 
The  mirth  and  fun  grSw  fast  and  furioQs  ; 
The  piper  loud  and  loudir  blew  ; 
The  dancers  quick  and  quicker  flew. 

Burns — "Tam  O'Shanter. " 


S6me, lucky,  find  a  flowery  spot, 
F5r  which  they  never  toiled  6r  swat ; 
They  drink  the  sweet  and  eat  the  fat. 

Burns — "To  James  Smith." 


Where  with  intenti5n  I  have  erred, 

N5  other  plea  1  have, 
BQt,  Thou  art  good  ;  and  goodness  still 

Delighteth  to  fSrgive. 

Burns — "A  Prayer." 

0  Henderson,  the  man — the  brother  ! 
And  art  th5u  gone,  and  gone  fSrever  ? 

Burns — "  Elegy  on  M.  Henderson." 

Let  Prudence  bless  Enjoyment's  cup, 
Then  raptQred  sip,  and  sip  it  iip. 

Burns — Written  in  Friar's  Carse  Hermitage. 


50  THE  ART  OF  POETRY. 

YoQr  beauty's  S  flower,  in  the  morning  ihSt  blows, 
And  withers  the  faster  the  faster  it  grows. 

Burns — "  Hey  for  a  Lass." 

Oh  happy  love  !  where  love  like  this  is  found  ! 

Burns — "  Cotter's  Saturday  Night." 

Come  ease  Or  c6me  travail,  cOme  pleasQre  Or  pain, 
My  wSrst  word  is:  "  VV'eicOme  Snd  welcOme  again  ! " 

Bums—''  Contented  Wi'  Little." 

TASK,  OR  ODD. 

Under  this  head  are  some  peculiar  combinations  of  poetry 
which  we  shall  give,  known  as  task  poetry,  word-matching 
and  curious  lines  of  word  accents.  Task  poetry  is  illus- 
trated by  a  stanza  of  George  Herbert's.  The  task  is  drop- 
ping the  first  letter  of  the  last  two  words  of  the  second  and 
third  lines  of  the  triplet : 

Inclose  me  still,  ffer  fear  1  start. 
Be  to  me  rather  sharp  3nd  tart. 
Than  let  me  want  thy  hand  and  art. 

SOch  sharpness  shows  the  sweetest  friend, 
SQch  cuttings  rather  heal  than  rend. 
And  such  beginnings  touch  their  end. 

The  following  curious  distich  is  formed  of  three  lines  of 
the  fragments  of  words,  so  that  the  middle  ones  read  with 
either  of  the  other  two  : 

curs        f —      w —  d —      dis —  and  p — 

A       — ed      iend — rought    — eath    — ease    — ain. 

bless —     fr —      b —  br-      and  ag — 


OF  RHYME.  51 

A  cursed  fiend  wr5ught  death,  disease  &nd  pain  ; 
A  blessfid  friend  br5ught  breath  ftnd  ease  Sgain. 

Dr.  Holmes  has  given  us  an  example  in  an  "  Ode  for  a 
Social  Meeting  ;   With  Slight  Alterations  by  a  Teetotaler. ' ' 

C6me  !  fill  a  frSsh  bumpgr, — f5r  why  should  wg  go 

l6gwo6d 
While  thS  noctar  still  reddSns  5ur  ciips  Ss  thgy  flow  ? 

d^coctiftn 
P6ur  out  thgi4eTTJuic6s,  still  bright  with  th6  sun, 

dye-sttiff 
Till  o'er  thS  brimmed  crystal  thS  rubigo  shall  run 

half-ripgned  apples 
ThS  purplQ  glSbod  cluot6rc  their  life-d6ws  have  bled  ; 

taste  sugar  6f  lead 

H6w  sweet  is  thS  broath  6f  thg  fragrance  thgy  ohod  ! 

rank  p6is6ns  wines  ! !  ! 

F6r  summer's  laot  roo6o  lie  hid  in  thS  winoo 

stablfe-b6ys  smoking  l5ng-nines 
That  w6re  garngred  by  maiddnc  wh5  laughod  throtigh  thQ  vino& 

scowl  howl  scoff  sneer 

Th6n  a  omile,  and  a  gloccy  and  a  toast,  and  a  choor; 

strychnine  Snd  whiskey,  and  ratsbane  and  beer 
F6r  all  thd  goSd  wine,  ttnd  w6'%'o  oomo  6f  it  horo  ! 

In  cellar,  in  pantry,  in  attic,  in  hall, 

D6wn,  down  with  th6  tyrant  that  masters  iis  all ! 
L5ng  livo  the  gfiy  oorvant  that  laughs  f5r  Qo  all ! 

Word  matching  is  still  another  kind  of  odd  rhyme. 

Tlign  up  with  yofir  ciip  till  yoQ  stagger  in  speech, 

And  match  mS  this  catch,  though  yoCi  swaggSr  and  screech. 

Scott. 


52 


THE  ART  OF  POE TR  Y. 


Another  odd  rhyme  in   iambic  rhythm    written  anony- 
mously, is  entitled  : 

Song  of  the  Decanter. 

Thgre  was  in  old  decanter, 

and  its  mouth  wis  gaping  wide ; 

the  rosy  wine  had  ebbed 

flway  and  left  its 

crystal  side  ; 

and  the 

'  wind 

wSnt 

humming, 

humming  ;  tip 

and  down 

the  sides 

it  flew,  and 

through      thS 

reed-like,  h6116w 

neck  thg 

wildest  notes 

it  blew.     I  placed 

it  in  the  windSw,  where 

thS  blast  was  blowing  free,  and 

fancied  that  its  pale  m6uth  sang  th^ 

queerest  strains  t6  me.    "  Th^y  tell  m^ 

— puny  conquerors  ! — th6  Plague  has  slain 

his  ten,  and  War  his  hundrM-thousands  6f  th6 

very  best  6f  men ;  btiti  " — 'twas  thus  the  bottle 

spoke — "  btit  I  have  conquered  more  than  all  yottr 

famotis  conquerors,  s6  feared   and  famed  6f  yore. 

Then  come,  yS  yoiiths  and  maidSns,  come  drink 

fr6m  out  my  cup,  the  beverage  that  dulls  the 

brain  and  biirns  the  spirit  up  ;  that  puts  t6 

shame  thS  conquerors  that  slay  their  scores 

below  ;  f5r  this  has  deltiged  millions  with 

the  lava  tide  6f  woe.     Th6ugh,  in  the 

path  6f  battle,  darkest  waves  6f  blood 

may  roll ;  yet   while  I  killed  the 

body,  I    have  damned  the  very 

soul.     The  cholera,  the  sword, 

stich  ruin  never  wrought,  as 

I,  in  mirth  6r  malice,  on  the  inn5- 

cent  have  brought.  And  still  I  breathe 

tipon  them,  and  they  shrink  before  my 

breath  ;   and  year  by  year  my  thousands 

tread      the      fearftil      road      t6      death. 


OF  RHYME. 


53 


In  the  couplet  below  every  word  of  the  line  is  answered 
by  another  of  the  same  measure  and  rhyme  : 

"She  drove  h6r  flock  5'er  mountains, 
By  grove,  6r  rock,  6r  fountains." 

Another  example  is  : 

"  Now,  0  now,  I  needs  m&st  part, 

Parting  though  1  absent  mourn  ; 
Absence  can  n6  joy  impart, 

Joy  5nce  fled  can  ne'er  return." 

The  Alphabetic  is  still  another  odd  rhyme  : 

"  On  going  forth  last  night  a  friend  t6  see, 
I  met  a  man  by  trade  a  s-n-6-b. 
Reeling  along  h&  held  his  tipsy  way. 
'  Ho  !    Ho  !  •    qu6th  I,    '  h6  's  d-f-u-n-k.' 
Then  thus  t5  him  :  '  WSre  it  n6t  bettgr  far 
Yoti  were  a  little  i-6-5-e-r  ? 
.  'Tw^re  happiSr  for  yoQr  family,  I  guess, 
Than  playing  off  sQch  rum  r-i-g-s. 
B&ides,  all  drunkards,  when  p61icem6n  see  '6ifi, 
Are  taken  up  at  once  h^  t-h-e-m.'  " 

A  truth  is  frequently  impressed  by  means  of  another  form 
of  odd  rhyme — the  Paradox.  A  first-class  example  is  here 
given  : 

Though  w6  boast  5f  modern  progress  as  aloft  w6  proudlj^  soar. 
Above  tintiit5red  cannibals  wh5se  habits  we  dSplore, 
Yet  in  5ur  daily  papers  any^  day  y5u  chance  t5  look 
Yoti  may  find  this  advertisement :     "  Wanted — A  girl  t6  cook. " 
Ida  Goldsmith  Morris — "A  Paradox."  In  "Magazine  of  Poetry." 


g4  THE  AR  T  OF  POE  TR  Y. 

Odd  rhymes  are  frequently  employed  to  aid  memory. 
Few  persons  understand  the  use  of  "  Shall"  and  "  Will." 
The  following  stanza  memorized  will  be  of  use  to  every  one  : 

"  In  the  first  pers6n  simply  Shall  f5retells  ; 
In  Will  a  threat  5r  else  a  promise  dwells  ; 
Shan  in  the  sec6nd  or  the  third  d5th  threat 
Will  simply  then  fSretells  the  futOre  feat." 

This  quatrain  is  also  useful  to  enable  one  to  remember  the 
formation  of  Latin  verbs  : 

*'  Fr6m  0  are  formed  am  and  em  ; 
Fr6m  I,  ram,  rim,  r6,  se,  and  sem. 
tr,  us,  and  rus  are  formed  frOm  um  ; 
All  other  parts  fr5m  Re  d6  come." 

Another  quaint  stanza  enables  us  to  remember  the  days 
of  the  month  : 

"  Thirt)^  days  hath  September, 
April,  June  and  November  ; 
All  the  rest  have  thirty-one, 
save  Febrtlary  alone. 
Which  has  btit  twenty -eight  in  fine 
Till  leap  year  gives  it  twenty-nine  " 

CENTO  VERSES. 

Still  another  curious  form  of  poetry  is  denominated 
"Cento  Verses  or  Patch  Work." 

MY  LOVE. 

\  only  knew  she  came  and  went  Powell. 

Like  troutlets  in  a  pool  ;  Hood. 

She  was  a  phantom  of  delight,  Wordsworth. 

And  I  was  like  a  fool.  Eastmav. 


OF  RHYME. 


55 


"One  kiss,  dear  maid,"  1  said  Snd  sighed,  Coleridge. 

Out  of  th5se  lips  tinshorn  ;  Longfellow. 

Sh6  shook  her  ringlets  round  hSr  head,  Stoddard. 

And  laughed  in  merry  scorn.  Tennyson. 

Ring  out,  wild  bells,  t6  the  wild  sky,  Tennyson. 

Yoti  heard  th6m,  O  my  heart ;  Alice  Carey. 

'Tis  twelve  St  night  by  the  castle  clock,  Coleridge. 

"Beloved,  we  mtist  part."  Alice  Carey. 

"C6me  back,  c6me  back  !  "  he  cried  in  grief,         Campbell. 

"  My  eyes  Sre  dim  with  tears, —  Bayard  Taylor. 

H6w  shall  I  live  throGgh  all  these  days?  Osgood, 

All  throiigh  S  hundred  years?  "  T.  S.  Perry. 


'TwSs  in  the  prime  5f  siimmer  time 
She  blessed  me  with  her  hand  ; 

we  strayed  together,  deeply  blessed, 
Into  the  dreaming  land. 


Hood. 

Hoyt. 
Edwards. 
Cornwall. 


The  laughing  bridSl  roses  blow,  Patmore. 

T6  dress  her  dark-brSwn  hair  ;  Bayard  Taylor. 

My  heart  is  breaking  with  my  woe,  Tennyson. 

M6st  beaijtiful  !    M6st  rare  !  Read. 


I  clasped  it  on  her  sweet,  c6ld  hand.  Browning. 

The  precioQs  golden  link  !  S^nith. 

\  calmed  her  fears,  and  she  wSs  calm,  Coleridge. 

"  Drink,  pretty  creattire,  drink."  Wordsworth. 


And  so  I  won  my  Genevieve, 
And  walked  in  Paradise  : 

The  fairest  thing  that  ever  grew 
Atween  mS  and  the  skies. 


Coleridge. 

Hervey. 

Wordsworth. 

Osgood. 

Anonymous. 


^6  THE  ART  OF  POETRY. 

ACROSTIC. 

The  acrostic  is  a  form  of  odd  rhyme.  Below  we  give  one, 
written  by  the  Lady  Frances  Manners,  daughter  of  the  Earl 
of  Rutland,  and  wife  of  Henry,  Lord  Bergavenny.  She 
was  the  author  of  ' '  Precious  Pearls  of  Perfect  Godliness' ' 
and  "The  Monument  of  Matrons,"  written  in  1582,  at  the 
end  of  which  is  this  acrostic  of  her  own  name  : 

Pr6m  sinftilness  preserve  mg,  Lord, 

Rgnew  my  spirit  In  my  hart ; 

And  let  my  tongue  therewith  Sccord, 

Uttering  all  goodness  for  his  part. 

N6  thought  I6t  there  Srise  in  me 

C6ntrairie  to  thy  precepts  ten  ; 

^ver  let  me  m6st  mindftil  be 

Still  for  t6  praise  thy  name.     Amen. 

As  of  my  soul,  s5  of  my  bodig, 

B6  thou  my  guidSr,  O  my  God  ! 

Unto  theS  only  do  I  crle, 

Rgmove  fr5m  me  thy  furiotis  rod. 

GrSunt  that  my  head  mfly  still  dfivise 

All  things  thSt  pleasing  be  t6  thee. 

Unto  mine  ears,  Snd  to  mine  eies, 

]$ver  let  there  S  watch  sSt  bee. 

N6ne  ill  that  they  mSy  hear  ftnd  see  ; — 

N6  wicked  deede  I6t  my  hSnd  do, 

Yn  thy  go6d  paths  I6t  my  feSt  go. 

POUNDS,  SHILLINGS  AND  PENCE. 

£    s.     d. 
This  world's  a  scene  as  dark  as  Styx, 
Where  hope  is  scarce  w5rth  2      6 

Our  joys  are  borne  s6  fleeting  hence 
That  they  are  dear  at  18 

And  yet  t5  stay  h6re  most  are  willing. 
Although  thgy  may  n6t  have  i 

Willis  Gaylord — "Lines  Written  in  an  Album." 


OF  RHYME. 


57 


Ah  me ! 

Am  I  thS  swain, 

That,  late  fr6m  s6rr5w  free, 

Did  all  thS  cares  6n  earth  disdain  ? 

And  still  tintoQched,  Ss  at  s6me  safSr  games 

Played  with  th6  bQrning  coals  6f  love  Snd  beauty's  flames  ? 

Was't  I  cofild  drive  Snd  sound  ^ach  passiOn's  secret  depth  at  will, 

And  from  th6se  huge  6'erwhelmings  rise  by  help  6f  r^as5n  still  ? 

And  am  1  now,  0  heavSns  !  f5r  trying  this  in  vain, 

S6  sunk  that  I  shall  nevfir  rise  again  ? 

Th^n  let  despair  set  sorrSw's  string 

F6r  strains  that  doleftil  be, 

And  I  wfll  sing 

Ah  me  ! 

Wither — "Rhombic  Measures." 


CHAPTER  VIII. 

Nev6r  thS  verse  approve  6r  hold  Ss  good, 

Till  many  S  day  Snd  many  &  blot  hSs  wrought 

Thg  polished  work,  find  chastened  everj^  thought 

By  tenfbld  labSr  to  pgrfectiftn  brought. 

Horace. 

SELECTION  OF  WORDS. 

The  beauty  of  the  poem  consists  in  the  perfection  of  its 
rhythm,  and  the  aptness  of  the  words  selected  which 
constitutes  the  rhyme. 

Perfect  rhythm  and  rhyme  make  a  perfect  poem  where 
reason  and  sound  sense  are  at  the  bottom  of  the  theme. 
The  resources  of  our  language  are  such  that  we  are  entitled 
to  receive  from  the  poet  the  most  rigid  work  of  perfection. 
Imperfect  or  what  are  termed  allowable  rhymes  should  no 
longer  be  tolerated. 

Rhyme  is  merely  the  dress  with  which  our  thoughts  are 
clothed  in  rhythmic  verse.  Rhyme  without  reason  and 
good  sense  is  insufferable.  Formerly  many  rhymes  were 
allowable  that  at  the  present  time  would  not  be  endured. 

Thtis  PegSsus,  ft  nearer  way  t6  take, 

MSy  boldly  deviate  from  th6  comm5n  track. 

Pope. 

Here  "take"  and  "track  "  are  made  to  rhyme  by  one 
of  the  most  fastidious  of  all  poets.  Pegasus  is  here  permitted 
to  deviate  from  the  common  track. 

58 


SELECTION  OF  WORDS.  59 

The  same  author  we  quote  from  again  : 

S6me  haunt  Parnassus  but  t6  please  thfiir  ear, 
N6t  mend  thSir  minds  ;  Ss  some  t6  church  repair, 
N6t  for  the  doctrine,  but  th6  music  there. 

' '  Ear. "  "  repair, "  "  there, ' '  are  here  used  as  allowable 
rhymes. 

We  quote  still  another  couplet  from  Pope,  in  this  con- 
nection : 

The  vulgar  thus  by  imitation  err, 
As  6ft  the  learned  by  being  singQlar. 

"  Err  "  and  "  singular  "  are  imperfect  rhymes.  Speak- 
ing of  what  are  termed  allowable  rhymes,  let  us  quote  from 
Pope  once  more  : 

The  winged  courser,  like  S  genero&s  horse, 
Shows  most  trtie  metal  when  yoQ  check  his  course. 

"  Horse"  and  "  course  "  are  not  perfect  rhymes. 

His  faithfQl  wife  fbrever  doomed  t6  mourn, 
FOr  him,  alas  !  wh5  never  shall  return. 

Falconer. 

"  Mourn  "  and  "  return  "  are  imperfect  rhymes. 

S6  draw  him  home  t6  those  that  mourn 

In  vain  ;  a  favotirabie  speed, 

Ruffle  thy  mirr5wed  mast,  and  lead 
ThroOgh  prosperoOs  floods  his  holy  urn. 

Tennyson. 

"  Mourn  "  and  "  return  "  and  "mourn"  and  "urn" 
were,  however,  at  one  time  perfect  rhymes,  but  the  style  of 


6o  THE  AR  T  OF  FOE  TR  Y. 

pronunciation  is  now  obsolete.  The  fact  that  pronuncia- 
tion of  words  is  constantly  changing  accounts  also  for  many 
supposed  imperfect  rhymes. 


FOREIGN  WORDS  AND  EXPRESSIONS. 

We  believe  it  was  Bryant  who  said  he  never  looked  for  a 
foreign  word  to  use  in  writing  a  poem  but  that  he  found  one 
better  in  our  own  language.  How  true  the  assertion.  Our 
own  language  is  filled  with  choice  words,  and  one  has  little 
difficulty  in  finding  good  English  to  express  ideas  and 
thoughts.  The  employment  of  foreign  words  and  express- 
ions, however,  is  unobjectionable,  where  the  person  using 
them  is  master  of  the  language  used,  and  where  the  selec- 
tion is  apt. 

In  fact,  frequently  there  is  a  mirth  and  charm  lent  to  a 
poem  by  the  use  of  some  word  or  expression  taken  from 
some  other  language  than  the  mother  tongue.  A  fine 
example  can  be  found  in  one  of  John  G.  Saxe's  poems, 
entitled  : 

THE  PUZZLED  CENSUS  TAKER. 

"  G6t  any  boys  ? "  the  Marshal  said 

T5  a  lady  frOm  over  the  Rhine  ; 
And  the  lady  shook  her  flaxen  head, 

And  civilly  answered.  '^Ne'in  I  "  * 

"  G6t  any  girls  ?  "  the  Marshal  said 

T6  the  lady  fr6m  over  the  Rhine  ; 
And  again  the  lady  shook  her  head. 

And  civilly  answered,  "Nein/  " 

*  '  N'ein,"  German  for  'no." 


SELECTION  OF  WORDS.  6 1 

"  Btit  some  Sre  dead  ?  "  th6  Marshal  said 

T5  the  lady  fr6m  ov^r  th6  Rhine  ; 
And  again  th6  lady  shook  h^r  head, 

And  civilly  answered,  "Neinf^' 

"  Hiisband,  5f  course?  "  th6  Marshal  said 

T6  the  lady  fr6m  ovgr  thg  Rhine  ; 
And  again  sh6  shook  h6r  flaxen  head, 

And  civilly  answered,  "Nem/" 

"  The  devil  yoQ  have  !  "  thg  Marshal  said 

T5  the  lady  fr6m  6v6r  the  Rhine  ; 
And  again  she  shook  h6r  flaxfin  head. 

And  civtlly  answered,  "Neln/" 

a 

"  N5w  what  d6  yoti  mean  by  shaking  yoQr  head 

And  always  answering,  ^Ne'in '  f  " 
'Ich  kann  nicht  Englisch  !  "  civilly  said 
The  lady  fr6m  ovSr  the  Rhine. 

Charles  Durbin  is  the  author  of  an  excellent  poem, 
' '  Nongtongpaw, ' '  the  first  two  stanzas  of  which  we  give 
below  : 

John  Biill  f6r  pastime  took  a  prance, 

S6me  time  ago  t5  peep  at  France  ; 

T6  talk  6f  sciences  and  arts. 

And  knowledge  gained  in  foreign  parts. 

M6nsieiir,  6bsequioiis,  heard  him  speak, 

And  answered  John  in  heathen  Greek  ; 

T6  all  he  asked,  'b6ut  all  he  saw, 

'T  was  "  MonsieQr,  je  voGs  n'entends  pas." 

John  to  the  Palais  Royal  come, 

Its  splendor  alm6st  struck  him  dumb. 

"  t  say,  whf)se  house  is  that  there  here  1 " 

"  H6use  !  Je  voiis  n'entends  pas,  M6nsiefir."* 

*  "  I  do  not  understand  vou.  Mister." 


62  THE  ART  OF  POE  TR  Y. 

"  What !  Nongt6ngpaw  Sgain !  "  cries  John  ; 
"  This  fell6w  is  s5me  mighty  Don, 
N6  doubt  he's  plenty  for  thS  maw, 
I'll  breakfast  with  this  N6ngt6ngpaw." 

Mr.  Field  has  written  an  excellent  poem  about  the  German 
Zug: 

The  Germans  say  that  " schnell  "  mgans  fast,  and  "schnellest" 

fastest  yet, — 
In  all  my  life  n5  grimmSr  bit  5f  hum6r  have  I  met ! 
Why,  thirteen'miles  an  hour's  the  greatest  speed  they  ever  go. 
While  on  the  engine  pist6n  rods  d6  moss  and  lichens  grow, 
And  yet  the  average  Teut6n  will  presumptttously  maintain 
That  one  c&ii't  know  what  swiftness  is  till  he's  tried  the  SQhnellest 

train  ! 

Eugene  Field —  "The  Schnellest  Zug." 

The  use  of  a  foreign  word,  however,  merely  for  the  sake 
of  rhyme,  is  entirely  out  of  place  and  not  to  be  indulged. 

The  beauty  of  rhyme  is  perfectness .;  therefore,  use  such 
rhymes  only  as  are  perfect  to  the  ear  when  correctly  pro- 
nounced,—  to  the  eye  when  seen. 


CHAPTER  IX. 
THE  CONSTRUCTION  OF  THE  STANZA. 

THE  manner  or  mode  of  constructing  the  stanza  should  be 
closely  observed  by  the  writer  of  poetry.  Form  is  essen- 
tial to  beauty,  and  form  in  all  its  details  is  looked  after  by  the 
master,  (i)  Verse  which  rhymes  in  alternate  lines  is  always 
indented.  (2)  Verse  in  couplets  is  never  indented,  but  the 
lines  are  all  even.  (3)  Where  the  stanza  is  constructed  with 
four  lines  rhyming  alternately  and  a  couplet,  the  alternate 
lines  are  indented  and  the  couplet  is  usually  even  or  flush 
with  the  first  and  third  lines  of  the  stanza.  (4)  Where  the 
stanza  is  constructed  with  first  a  couplet,  then  a  half-line  or 
bob-wheel,  followed  by  another  couplet,  and  that  couplet 
followed  by  another  half  line  rhyming  with  the  first  half 
line,  the  couplets  are  both  even  lines  while  the  half  lines  are 
indented.  No  matter  whether  the  stanza  is  constructed  of 
four,  six,  eight,  or  any  number  of  lines  these  rules  hold 
good.  Symmetry  always  renders  the  stanza  more  perfect, 
and  a  little  observation  will  soon  enable  one  to  imitate  a 
perfect  stanza.  (5)  When  a  stanza  consists  of  a  triplet  and 
a  line  or  half  line  not  rhyming,  the  latter  is  always  indented. 
(6)  Where  the  stanza  is  constructed  of  a  line  that  is  followed 
by  a  shorter,  or  half  line,  followed  by  a  line  rhyming  with 
the  first  line,  followed  by  the  .same  line  used  similarly  as  a 
second  and  fourth  line,  followed  by  a  triplet  and  an  eighth 
line,  similar  to  the  second  and  fourth  line,  these  similar  lines 

63 


64  THE  ART  OF  POETRY. 

should  be  indented.  More  might  be  easily  added,  but 
enough  has  been  said  to  suggest  the  principle  or  art  upon 
which  verse  is  constructed,  and  usually  printed.  As  a  further 
illustration  of  what  is  intended,  we  give  below  an  outline  or 
skeleton  of  the  stanzas  above  mentioned,  written  in  the  sign 
of  the  various  measures  : 


G5d  grant  that  when  6ur  heads  are  gray, 
When  twilight  blurs  thS  page, 

ThS  music  of  6ur  dawning  day 
May  charm  6ur  lonely  age. 
Burton  W.  Lockhart — "The  Retrospect." 


-  ^— '  —  Though  1  move  with  leadfin  feet, 
'  —  Light  itself  is  not  si3  fleet ; 

-  ^  —  And  before  yoQ  know  m6  gone 

-  —  ^-  —        Eternity  and  I  are  one. 

William  Dean  How  ells — "  Time." 

3- 

^  —  -^  —  TrQe  love  n5t  heedeth  bolt  n6r  bar, 

--  —  ^  —  BOt  sad  't  is  ever  so  ; 

-^  —  — ^  —  TrQe  love  and  fate  d6  constant  war, 

-^  —  —^  —  And  ne'er  t5geth6r  go  ; 

-^  —  -^  —  What  little  moments  lovers  smile 

-  —  ^  —  T6  the  16ng  days  between  the  while. 
Isaac  R.  Baxley — "  The  Ballad  of  Sir  Raymond." 

4- 

-  —  The  mossy  marbles  rest 
-■—^  —  On  the  lips  that  he  has  prest 

-  In  their  bloom  ; 

'  —  And  the  names  he  loved  t5  hear 

-  ^-^  —  —        Have  been  carved  f5r  many  a  year 

On  the  tomb. 
Oliver  Wendell  Holmes — "  The  Last  Leaf." 


THE  CONSTRUCTION  OF  THE  STANZA.  65 

5- 

—  ^'^ '  — ^  —  Never  a  heart  tOrns  false  6r  cold  ; 

—  —'---  —  —'  —  — '  —  Nevfir  a  face  gr6ws  gray  6r  old  ; 

—  ^  —^  —  -^  —  —  —  Nev6r  ft  love  wS  may  n6t  hold, 
—  ^-'  —  ^^-^  —  — ^  —  ^^         In  the  beauHftil  land  6f  fancy. 

Libbie  C.  Baer — "  In  the  Land  of  Fancy." 

6. 

— -^  —  >-'  —  — '        Draw  the  lines  S  llttlS  tighter, 

—  —^  —  Spirit  mine  ! 

—  —  —  —  —  --  —  --        Make  th6  life  S  little  brighter, 

—  — -  —  Spirit  mine  ! 

—  —^ '  —  ^^  —  ^  For  the  truth's  sake  be  a  fighter, 

—  -^  —  ^^  —  ^  —  —  Show  the  world  life  may  be  whiter, 

—  —^  —  -— —  -^  Purer,  stronger,  dearer,  lighter, 

—  —  —  More  divine  ! 

John  O.  O?//— "Upward." 

RHYTHMIC  COMBINATIONS. 

Trochees  and  Dactyls.  Iambi  and  Anapests. 

I.  — —  —  17.  _^^^_ 

4.  —  —  —  —  — '  20.^  —  —  —  —  —  —  ^^ 

5.—  —  —  —  21. ^-^_ 

12.  —  — ^_^-_  28.  — ' .  ^  —  ^  ^ 

14. .  ^  —  ^  ■ 30.  ~- .^  —  ^^ 

15.  _^__^^ '—      31.  ^_^^— ^^_^_ 

16. ^^  — ^^_^^      32.  ^  —  -^^ .^  —  ^^ 


66 


THE  ART  OF  POETRY. 
Ajnapksts  and  Iambi. 


These  groups  of  rhythmic  feet,  or  word  accents,  are 
capable  of  many  combinations.  We  have  forty-eight 
groups.  To  combine  them  is  not  difficult.  By  combining 
them  we  shall  be  enabled  to  write  trochaic,  dactylic,  iambic, 
and  anapestic  rhythms. 

To  illustrate  : 

21      :     38. 

"  How  dear  to  my  heart  are  the  scenes  of  my  childhood." 

Examine  the  rhythmic  combinations  : 


We  find  we   have   a   combination    of   21      :     38,  being 
anapestic  tetrameter. 
21      :     37. 

"  Mid  pleasures  and  palaces  though  we  may  roam." 


We  have  as  a  combination  21 
meter. 

I      :      18. 

"  I  am  dying,  Egypt,  dying." 


37,    an  anapestic  tetra- 


THE  CONSTRUCTION  OF  THE  STANZA. 


67 


This  combines  group  i  with  18  and  gives  a  trochaic 
tetrameter. 

I      :     18  • 

"  When  the  humid  shadows  hover." 

It  will  be  seen  the  first  line  of  the  beautiful  poem, 
"Rain  on  the  Roof,"  is  the  same  combination,  i  :  18 — 
trochaic  tetrameter. 

James  Whitcomb  Riley  has  very  recently  written  a  dialect 
poem  entitled,  "The  Green  Grass  av  Owld  Ireland,"  from 
which  we  select  the  fourth  stanza.  The  first,  third  and  fifth 
lines  being  combinations  of  groups  18  :  11  —  the  lines 
being  iambic  tetrameter  ;  while  group  1 9,  being  an  iambic 
trimeter,  forms  lines  two,  four  and  six,  the  seventh  line  being 
a  mixed  iambic  and  anapestic  tetrameter  formed  of  18   :  22, 

G6d  bless  ySz,  free  Ameriky  ! 

1  I5ve  y£z,  dock  and  shore  ! 
I  kem  t6  yez  in  poverty 

That 's  worstin'  me  n6  more. 
Btit  most  I'm  lovin'  Erin  yet, 

Wid  all  h6r  graves,  d'  y6  see, 
By  reas5n  av  thS  gre^n  grass  Sv  6wld  Ireland. 

The  following  lines  are  by  Elsa  D'  Esterre  Keeling,  The 
first,  second  and  third  lines  combine  groups  17  :  19 — 
iambic  tetrameter  ;  and  the  fourth  line,  group  17,  and  is 
iambic  dimeter.     We  select  the  fourth  stanza  : 

LSst,  Winter  comes  ;  f6r  Eld  hSs  brought  its  snow, 
And  says,  "Sit  qui6t,  sheltered  from  the  storm." 

And  i  sit  in  my  easy  chair,  find  O, 
The  hearth  h6w  warm  ! 

8:6 

"Come  t5  me,  dearest,  I'm  lonely  without  thee." 


68  THE  ART  OF  POETRY. 

A  combination  of  group  8     :     6 — dactylic  tetrameter. 

We  might  add  example  after  example,  but  enough  has 
been  given  to  illustrate  these  rhythmic  combinations. 

The  vertical  bar  is  used  to  separate  poetic  feet.  It  is 
placed  between  each  accented  foot.  If  the  measure  is  dis- 
syllabic the  vertical  bar  distinguishes  it,  thus  : 


Once  up  I  on  a  I  midnight  |  dreary,  |  while  I  [  pondered  |  weak 
and  I  weary. 

Poe. — "The  Raven." 

The  trisyllabic  measure  is  marked  as  follows  : 

Pause  not  to  |  dream  of  the  |  future  be  |  fore  us  : 
Pause  not  to  |  weep  the  wild  |  cares  that  come  |  o'er  us  : 
Hark,  how  ere  |  ation's  deep,  |  musical  |  chorus, 

Uninter  |  nutting,  goes  |  up  into  |  Heaven ! 
Never  the  |  ocean-wave  |  falters  in  |  flowing; 
Never  the  |  little  seed  |  stops  in  its  |  growing  ; 
More  and  more  |  richly  the  |  rose-heart  keeps  |  glowing, 

Till  from  its  |  nourishing  |  stem  it  is  |  riven. 

Frances  S.  Osgood.  —  "Labor." 

The  vertical  bar  is  sometimes  used  by  authors  of  versifi"- 
cation  to  represent  or  denote  accent,  as  follows  : 

Once  I  upon  |  a  mid  |  night  drear  |  y,  while  |  I  pon  |  dered  weak  | 
and  wear  |  y. 

The  macron  —  and  the  breve  ^^  are  far  preferable,  as  well 
as  the  acute  accent,  marked  thus  :  ' 

Once  up  I   on  a  1  midnight  |  drea»-y,  |  while  I  |  pondered  |  weak 
and  I  weary. 


THE  CONSTRUCTION  OF  THE  STANZA. 


6g 


The  scansion  of  verse  becomes  a  pleasure  when  we 
understand  rhythmic  combinations  and  the  use  of  accentua- 
tion marks. 

THE  FIVE  LINE  STANZA. 

A  pleasing  form  of  our  poetry  is  the  stanza  of  five  lines. 
It  is  composed  of  the  single  line,  the  couplet,  the  triplet, 
and  quatrain.  The  combinations  thus  made  are  many  and 
elegant.  We  can  devise  no  better  method  of  studying  the 
art  of  composing  this  stanza,  than  that  of  giving  examples 
from  our  best  authors.  Then,  by  a  close  analysis  of  each 
example  given,  we  can  tell  the  meter,  rhythm  and  form.  A 
study  of  each  example  will  soon  familiarize  the  student  with 
this  form  of  the  stanza.  From  a  poem  by  Sir  Philip 
Sidney,  we  take  the  following,  an  iambic  pentameter  : 

Mj?  true-l6ve  hath  my  heart,  and  I  have  his. 
By  just  Exchange  6ne  to  the  other  given  : 

I  hold  his  dear,  and  mine  h6  cann5t  miss. 
There  never  was  a  better  bargain  driven  : 

My  trQe-l6ve  hath  my  heart,  and  I  have  his. 

"  My  True-Love  Hath  My  Heart." 

Another  fine  example  of  the  effect  of  a  repetition  of  the 
subject  of  the  poem,  the  same  constituting  the  fifth  line  of 
the  stanza,  is  found  in  the  following  iambic  pentameter 
lines,  entitled. 

Linger  n6t  long  !    Home  te  n6t  home  without  theS  ; 

Its  dearest  tokens  only  make  me  mourn  ; 
6h  !     Let  its  mem6ry,  like  a  chain  about  thee, 
GentlJ^  cOmpel  and  hasten  thy  return. 
Linger  n5t  long. 

Anonymous — "Linger  Not  Long." 


70 


THE  ART  OF  POETRY. 


John  G.  Saxe  is  the  author  of  tlie  following.  It  is 
trochaic  tetrameter,  except  the  fourth  line,  which  is  a 
trochaic  dimeter.     We  give  the  first  stanza  : 

Kiss  m6  softly  Snd  speak  t6  m6  low, — 
Malice  has  ev^r  S  vigilant  ear  ; 
What  if  Malice  wgre  lurking  near  ? 
Kiss  mg,  dear ! 
Kiss  m6  softly  Snd  speak  t6  m6  low. 

"Kiss  Me  Softly." 

The  little  poem  by  Sir  John  Suckling  furnishes  a  fine 
example  of  a  stanza  in  trochaic  rhythm  : 

Why  s6  pale  and  wan,  fbnd  lovSr.' 

Prythee,  why  s6  pale  ? 
Will,  wh6n  looking  well  can't  move  hSr, 

Looking  ill  prevail  ? 

Prythee,  why  s6  pale  ? 

"  Why  So  Pale  and  Wan,  Fond  Lover." 

One  of  the  finest  poems,  written  by  Percy  Bysshe  Shelley, 
is  entitled,  "To  a  Skylark."  It  is  a  trochaic  rhythm,  the 
first  four  lines  are  trochaic  trimeter,  the  fifth  trochaic  hexa- 
meter.    We  give  the  first  stanza  : 

Hail  to  thee,  blithe  spirit ! 

Bird  th6u  nevfir  wert, 
That  fr5m  heaven  6r  near  it, 

Pourfest  thy  f&U  heart 
In  prGfiise  strains  of  Onpremfeditated  art. 

"  To  a  Skylark." 

Charlotte  Smith  is  the  author  of  a  bright  poem.  It  is 
iambic  tetrameter,  the  first  and  third  and  fourth  lines  rhym- 


THE  COIVSTKUCTION  OF  THE  STANZA. 


71 


ing,  and  the  second  and  fifth,  the  third  and  fourth    being   a 
couplet.     We  give  the  third  stanza  : 

C5me,  summer  visitant,  Attach 

T6  my  re^d-roof  yoQr  nest  6f  clay  ; 
And  let  my  ear  yoQr  music  catch, 
L6w  twittering  underneath  th6  thatch, 
At  the  grSy  dawn  6f  day. 

"  The  Swallow." 

We  give  an  example  from  a  poem  of  nature  by  Mary 
BoUes  Branch.  It  is  iambic  tetrameter.  The  first,  fourth 
and  fifth  lines  rhyme,  and  the  second  and  third.  The 
second  and  third,  and  fourth  and  fifth  lines  are  couplets. 
We  select  the  third  stanza,  describing  the  rock  in  the  brook. 
How  delicate  and  true  the  description  : 

The  rock  Ks  rough  Snd  broken  on  ifts  edge 

With  jutting  corners,  but  thgre  come   Slway 

The  merry  ripplgs  with  their  tiny  spray, 

T6  press  It  ere  they  flow  6n   by  the  sedge, 

They  never  fail  the  old  r6ck's  broken  edge. 

"My  Little  Brook." 

Tennyson  furnishes  an  excellent  iambic  pentameter  stanza 
in  blank  verse.     We  give  the  first  stanza  of  the  poem. 

Tears,  idle  tears,  I  know  n6t  what  they  mean, 
Tears  from  the  depths  5f  some  divine  despair 
Rise  in  the  heart,  Snd  gather  to  the  eyes, 
In  looking  on  the  happy  AutQmn-fields, 
And  thinking  of  the  days  thSt  are  n6  more. 

"Tears,  Idle  Tears." 

Thomas   Moore,  the  author   of  so   many   touching  and 


72 


THE  ART  OF  POETRY. 


pathetic  lines,  has  written  few  better  than  ' '  The  Lake  of  the 
Dismal  Swamp."  It  is  iambic  rhythm.  We  give  the  first 
stanza  : 

They  made  h6r  3  grave,  to6  cold  Snd  damp 

F6r  a  heart  s6  warm  find  true; 
And  she's  gone  t6  thg  Lake  6f  the  DismSl  Swamp 
Where,  all  night  long,  by  a  fire-fly  lamp, 

She  paddies  her  v/hite  cSnoe  ! 

"The  Lake  of  the  Dismal  Swamp. " 

Another  form  of  this  stanza  is  given    in   the   following,  in 
iambic  measure  : 

Enters  t6day 

Another  bod>'  Tn  church  yard  sod. 

Another  soul  6n  the  life  in  God. 
His  Christ  was  buried — and  lives  alway  : 
Trtist  Him,  and  go  yotir  way. 

Dinah  Maria  Mulock — "  Buried  Today." 

We  give  the  third  stanza  of  a  touching  poem   in  iambic 
rhythm  : 

And  O.  since  that  baby  slept, 

S6  hushed,  h6w  the  mother  has  kept, 

\\'ith  a  tearf&l  pleasQre, 

That  httle  dear  treasQre, 
And  o'er  them  thought  and  wept  ! 

William  Cox  Bennett — "Baby's  Shoes." 

Whittier   describes   a   visit   to    Hampton    Beach.      The 
rhythm  is  iambic.     We  give  the  twelfth  stanza  : 

What  heed  I  of  the  dusty  land 

And  noisy  town  ? 
I  see  the  mighty  deep  expand 
Fr6m  its  white  line  6f  glimmering  sand 
T6  where  the  blue6f  heaven  fin  bliier  waves  shtits  down  ! 

"Hampton  Beach." 


THE  CONSTRUCTION  OF  THE  STANZA. 


73 


A  poem  by  Samuel  Taylor  Coleridge,  contains  this  excel- 
lent stanza  in  iambic  rhythm.  It  is  the  second  one  of  the 
poem  : 

F6r  shame,  my  friend  !  renounce  this  idl6  strain  ! 
What  wouldst  th6u  have  S  good  greSt  man  Obtain  ? 
wealth,  title,  dignity,  S  goIdSn  chain, 
Or  heap  6f  c6rs6s  which  his  sword  hSth  slain  ? 
Goodness  find  greatn&s  are  n6t  means,  bfit  ends. 

"  The  Good  Great  Man." 

Edmund  Clarence  Stedman,  one  of  our  best  writers, 
furnishes  a  dashing  poem.  It  is  in  trochaic  rhythm.  We 
give  a  stanza  : 

Hark  !  thg  jingle 

Of  the  sleigh-bells'  song ! 
Earth  find  air  in  snowy  sheen  c6mmingie ; 

Swiftly,  throng 
N6rsel3nd  fancies,  as  w6  sail  along. 

"The  Sleigh-Ride." 

Who  is  there  that  has  not  read  of  the  fabled  youth — 

"  A  youth,  wh6  bore,  'mid  snow  find  Ice, 
A  banner  with  thS  strange  device — 
Excelsior ! ' ' 

a  youth  that  pressed  on,  harkening  not  the  voices  that 
gave  him  warning,  until  overtaken  by  death.  The  poem  is 
by  Longfellow.  It  is  an  iambic  tetrameter,  except  the  last 
line  of  the  stanza,  which  is  iambic  dimeter.  We  have 
selected  the  fifth  stanza  : 

"Oh  stay,  "  the  maidSn  said,  "find  rest 

Thy  weary  head  tipon  this  breast !  " 
A  tear  sto6d  in  his  bright  blQe  eye 
Bfit  still  he  answered,  with  a  sigh, 
Excelsior. 

"  Excelsior." 


74 


THE  ART  OF  POETRY. 


Edmund  Waller  is  the  author  of  a  pretty  poem  in  iambic 
rhythm.     The  third  stanza  is  given. 

Small  is  th£  worth 
Of  beauty  from  the  light  retired  ; 

Bid  her  c6me  forth, 
Suffer  herself  t6  be  desired, 
And  not  bltish  so  t6  be  admired. 

— "Go  Lovely  Rose." 

Henry  Kirke  White  added  to  the  poem,  this  stanza  : 

Yet,  though  thoQ  fade, 
Fr5m  thy  dSad  leaves  let  fragrance  rise  ; 

And  teach  th6  maid, 
That  goodness  Time's  rOde  hand  defies. 
That  virtQe  lives  when  beauty  dies. 

Longfellow  ever  teems  in  good  thoughts.  This  one  in 
iambic  rhythm  is  worth  remembering.  We  give  the  eighth 
stanza  of  the  poem  : 

And  he  wh5  has  n5t  learned  t6  know 
H6w  false  its  sparkling  bubbles  show, 
H6w  bitter  are  the  drops  6f  woe. 
With  which  its  brim  may  overflow, 
He  has  n6t  learned  tQ  live. 

—  "The  Goblet  of  Life. " 

Another  charming  poem  by  Longfellow,  is  entitled 
"Christmas  Bells."  It  is  iambic  rhythm.  We  give  the 
seventh  stanza  : 

Then  pealed  the  bells  m6re  loud  and  deep : 
"  G6d  is  n6t  dead;   n5r  doth  he  sleep  ! 

The  Wrong  shall  fail. 

The  Right  prevail. 
With  peace  6n  earth,  g6od-w!ll  t5  men  !  " 

"  Christmas  Bells." 


THE  CONSTRUCTION  OF  THE  STANZA. 


75 


"A  Woman's  Question,"  is  the  title  of  a  poem  written  by 
Adelaide  Anne  Proctor  in  iambic  rhythm,  furnishing  us  an 
example  of  the  middle  or  line  rhyme  in  the  fifth  line,  as  well 
as  another  form.     We  give  the  first  stanza  : 

Before  1  trust  ra^  fate  t6  thee, 
Or  place  my  hand  in  thine. 
Before  I  let  thy  futQre  give 
C616r  and  form  t6  mine, 
Before  I  peril  all  ft5r  thee,  questiSn  thy  soul  t6-night  f6r  me. 

—  "A  Woman's  Question." 

THE  SIX  LINE  STANZA. 

Endless  are  the  varieties  of  our  English  stanza.  The  art 
of  the  poet  is  susceptible  of  a  high  degree  of  cultivation. 
Our  best  authors  have  from  time  to  time  found  new  and 
beautiful  combinations.  The  six  line  stanza  is  one  capable 
of  producing  the  very  best  of  results.  We  have  selected  many 
forms  of  the  six  line  stanzas  with  a  view  of  illustrating  their 
combinations  and  formations.  Our  first  selection  is  in 
anapestic  rhythm, — anapestic  tetrameter.  We  give  the 
first  stanza  : 

There's  a  HttlS  I6w  hut  by  the  river's  side, 

Within  the  sound  6f  its  rippling  tide  ; 

Its  walls  are  grey  with  the  mosses  6f  years, 

And  its  roof  all  crumbled  and  old  appears : 

BQt  fairer  t6  me  than  castle's  pride 

Is  the  little  I6w  hut  by  the  river's  side  ! 

P.  B.  Shillaber—''Vi^  Childhood  Home." 

A  stanza  by  Tennyson,  in  anapestic  rhythm  is  given. 
The  first,  second,  third,  fourth  and  sixth  lines  trimeter,  the 
fifth,  tetrameter. 


76 


THE  ART  OF  POETRY. 

C6me  intfi  th6  garden,  Maud, 

F5r  the  black  bat,  night,  hSs  flown  ! 
C6me  intS  th6  garden,  Maud, 

I  am  here  at  thfe  gate,  alone  ; 
And  the  woodbine  spicks  are  waft6d  abroad, 

And  the  musk  6f  thg  ros^s  blown. 

— "Come  Into  the  Garden,  Maud." 


Another  form  of  this  stanza,  in  iambic  tetrameter,  the  hnes 
rhyming  alternately,  is  given.     The  first  stanza  is  selected  : 

She  walks  in  beauty,  like  th6  night 
Of  cloudless  climes  and  starry  skies, 

And  all  that's  best  6f  dark  and  bright 
MSet  in  hSr  aspSct  and  hSr  eyes, 

Thtis  mell5wed  to  that  tendSr  light 
Which  heaven  t5  gaudy  day  denies. 

Byron — "  She  Walks  in  Beauty." 

Here  is  another  six  line  stanza  rhyming  in  alternate  lines. 
It  is  a  poem  of  exquisite  finish  and  delicacy  of  touch,  tender 
and  pathetic,  by  Edgar  Allen  Poe,  entitled  "Annabel  Lee." 
The  poem  was  composed  by  Poe  in  memory  of  his  child- 
wife,  who  was  his  cousin  and  to  whom  he  was  devotedly 
attached  ;  whom  he  loved  ' '  with  a  love  that  the  winged 
seraphs  of  heaven  coveted    her  and  me."     It  is  anapestic 


rhythm 


It  was  many  and  many  a  year  agd. 

In  a  kingd6m  by  the  sea, 
That  a  maiden  lived  wh6m  you  may  know 

By  the  name  5f  Annabel  Lee  ; 
And  tilts  maiden  she  lived  with  n5  other  thought 

Than  t6  love,  and  be  loved  by  me. 

— "Annabel  Lee. 


THE  CONSTRUCTION  OF  THE  STANZA. 


77 


Sorrow  and  adversity  are  depicted  in  these  lines  by  one 
of  England's  best  writers.  It  is  iambic  rhythm  and  a  fine 
form  of  the  stanza, — dimeter  and  tetrameter  lines  : 

Spring  It  is  cheer^, 

Winter  IS  dreary, 
Gr6en  leaves  hSng,  but  thg  brown  mtist  fly; 

Whgn  he's  f5rsak6n, 

Withered  and  shaken, 
What  can  Sn  old  mSn  do  btit  die  ? 

/^<3orf— "What  Can  an  Old  Man  do  but  Die?" 

Another  form  of  this  stanza,  in  iambic  rhythm,  is  com- 
posed of  a  quatrain,  rhyming  in  alternate  lines,  and  a 
couplet  :  , 

I  love,  find  have  s6me  caiise  t6  love,  thS  earth, — 
She  is  my  Maker's  creatGre,  therefSre  good  ; 

ShS  is  my  mother,  for  shS  gave  mg  birth  ; 
She  is  my  tender  nurse,  shS  gives  mfe  food  ; 

BQt  what's  a  creatflre.  Lord,  cftmpared  with  thee? 

Or  what's  my  mothfir  or  my  nurse  t6  me? 

Francis  Quarles — "  Delight  in  God." 

Robert  Herrick  is  the  author  of  the  following  in  iambic 
rhythm  : 

Fair  pledges  of  a  fruitful  tree. 

Why  do  yg  fall  s6  fast  ? 

YoQr  date  is  not  s6  past 

BQt  you  may  stay  yfet  here  awhile 

T6  blush  and  gently  smile, 

And  go  at  last. 

"To  Blossoms." 

A  fine  trochaic  stanza  is  to  be  found  in  "Twelfth  Night," 


^8  THE  ART  OF  POETRY. 

Act  II,  scene   3.     The   third   and   sixth   lines   rhyme,  the 
other  Hnes  rhyming  in  couplets  : 

What  Js  love  ?    'Tis  not  hSreaftfir ; 
Present  mirth  hSth  present  laughter ; 

What's  t6  come  is  still  Qnsure  : 
In  dSlay  thgre  lies  n6  plenty, — 
Then  c5me  kiss  m6,  Sweet-Snd-twenty,  • 

Youth's  a  stuff  will  not  Sndure. 

Shakespeare — "  O  Mistress  Mine." 

An  ardent  love  stanza  composed  by  John  Moultrie,  is  to 
be  found  in  the  following  in  iambic  rhythm,  rhyming  in 
couplets  : 

"  F6rget  thfee  ?" — If  t6  dream  by  night,  and  muse  5n  thee  by  day. 

If  all  the  worship,  deep  Snd  wild,  a  port's  heart  can  pay, 

If  praySrs  in  absence  breathed  f6r  thee  t6   Heaven's  prOtectinij 

power, 
If  winged  thoughts  that  flit  t6  thee — a  thousand  in  an  hour, 
If  bus}/  Fancy  blending  thee  with  all  my  fiUQre  lot, — 
If  this  th6u  call'st  "  f6rgetting, "  thou  indeed  shait  be  f5rgot ! 

"  Forget  Thee?" 

Ralph  Hoyt  is  the  author  of  a  poem  depicting  old  age. 
It  is  touching  and  pathetic  and  portrays  true  to  life  some  ol 
the  sad  events  of  this  existence.  The  poem  is  written  in 
trochaic  rhythm.  The  first,  second,  third,  fourth  and 
sixth  lines  being  trochaic  pentameter,  and  the  fifth  trochaic 
dimeter.     We  have  selected  the  seventh  stanza  : 

"Anggl,"  said  hS  sadly,  "  I  am  old  ; 

Earthly  hope  n6  16ng6r  hath  a  morrSw  ; 
Yet,  why  i  sit  here  thoti  shalt  b6  told." 

Then  his  eye  betrayed  a  pearl  6f  s6rr6w, 
Down  it  rolled  ! 

"AngSl,"  said  hg  sadlji',  "  I  am  old." 

"Old." 


THE  CONSTRUCTION  OF  THE  STANZA.  79 

Another  form  of  the  six  line  stanza  is  the  quatrain  rhym- 
ing in  ahernate  lines,  with  the  couplet.  The  following  is 
iambic  rhythm  and  the  first  stanza  of  the  poem  : 

Friend  aftfir  friend  departs  ; 

Wh6  hath  n6t  lost  a  friend  ? 
There  is  n6  uni6n  here  6f  hearts 

That  finds  n6t  here  an  end  ! 
were  this  frail  world  6ur  final  rest, 
Living  Or  dying  none  were  blest. 

James  Montgomery — "  Parted  Friends." 

A  dainty  poem,  exquisite  in  its  form, is  by  Sarah  Roberts. 
It  is  trochaic  rhythm.     We  give  the  first  stanza  : 

Here  1  c6me  creeping,  creeping  ever^^where  ; 

By  the  dOsty  roadside. 

On  the  sunny  hillside, 

Close  by  the  noisy  brook. 

In  every  shady  nook, 
I  c6me  creeping,  creeping  everywhere. 

"The  Voice  of  the  Grass." 

Burns  is  not  the  first  who  used  the  form  of  the  stanza  fol- 
lowing. He,  however,  used  it  frequently  in  his  writings 
and  it  is  known  as  the  stanza  of  Burns.   It  is  iambic  rhythm: 

Still  thou  art  blessed,  compared  wi'  me  ! 
The  present  only  toucheth  thee  : 
Biit,  och  !     I  backward  cast  my  e'e 

On  prospects  drear  ; 
An'  forward,  though  1  canna'  see, 

I  guess  an'  fear. 

"To  a  Mouse." 


8o  THE  ART  OF  POETRY. 

"The  Little  Beach  Bird"  is  the  theme  of  a  poem  by 
Richard  Henry  Dana.  It  is  also  in  iambic  rhythm.  We 
give  the  first  stanza  : 

ThoQ  little  bird,  thoQ  dwellgr  by  the  sea, 
Why^  takSst  thoij  its  melancholy  voice  ? 
Why  with  that  boding  cry 
O'er  the  waves  d6st  thoQ  fly? 
6,  rather,  bird,  with  me 
Throiigh  the  fair  land  rejoice  ! 

"  The  Little  Beach  Bird." 

An  interesting  stanza  may  be  formed  in  alternate  lines,  the 
first,  second  and  fourth  trimeter,  the  third  tetrameter,  and 
the  fifth  and  sixth  a  tetrameter  couplet,  as  follows  : 

Ten  me  I  hate  the  bowl,— 

Hate  is  a  feeble  word  ; 
I  loathe,  abhor, — my  very  soul 

By  strong  disgust  is  stirred 
When'er  1  see,  5r  hear,  5r  tell 
Of  the  dark  beverage  5f  hell  ! 

Anonymous — "Go  Feel  What  I  Have  Felt." 

In  trochaic  rhythm  we  give — 

So,  good  night ! 
Slumber  on  till  morning  light ; 
Slumber  till  another  morrSw 
Brings  its  stores  5f  joy  and  sorrOw  ; 
Fearless,  in  the  Father's  sight ! 
Slumber  on.     Go6d  night ! 

Kdrner — "  Good  Night." 

William  CuUen  Bryant  is  the  author  of  this  patriotic 
stanza,  in  iambic  rhythm  : 


THE  CONSTRUCTION  OF  THE  STANZA.  8 1 

0  MOTHfiR  of  a  mighty  race, 
Y6t  lovely  in  thy  youthf&l  grace  ! 
The  elder  dames,  thy  haughty  peers, 
Admire  and  hate  thy  blooming  years  ; 

With  words  6f  shame 
And  taunts  6f  scorn  thSy  join  thy  name. 

"America." 


Charles  Kingsley  is  the   author   of  a    poem    in   iambic 
rhythm,  from  which  we  give  the  second  stanza  : 


The  creeping  tide  Cctnie  up  along  the  sand, 
And  o'er  and  o'er  the  sand, 
And  round  and  round  the  sand, 

As  far  as  eye  cotild  see  ; 
The  blinding  mist  came  down  and  hid  the  land: 
And  never  home  came  she. 

"  The  Sands  of  Dee.' 


In  trochaic  rhythm  Longfellow  has  written  a  poem 
entitled  ' '  Sea  Weed. "  It  is  a  neat  form  of  the  six-line 
stanza.  The  first,  third,  fourth  and  sixth  lines  are  tetra- 
meter, the  second  and  fifth  dimeter.  We  give  the  fifth 
stanza 

So  when  storms  6f  wild  emotibn 

Strike  the  ocean 
Of  the  poet's  soul,  ere  long, 
From  each  cave  and  rocky  fastness 

In  its  vastness 
Floats  s6me  fragment  of  a  song. 

"Sea  Weed." 

Maria  Gowan  BrooKs  is  the  author  of  these  exquisite  lines 


82  THE  ART  OF  POETRY. 

in  trochaic  rhythm.     The  quatrain  is  tetrameter,  the  couplet 
dimeter.     We  give  the  second  stanza : 

Thou,  t6  whom  I  love  t6  hearken  ; 
Come,  6re  night  Sround  mfi  aark^n  ; 
Though  thy  softness  but  deceive  m6, 
Say  thSu'rt  true,  and  I'll  believe  theS; 

Veil,  if  ill  thy  soul's  intent, 

Let  mS  think  it  inn6cent  ! 

"  Day,  in  Melting  Purple  Dying." 

THE  SEVEN  LINE  STANZA. 

Of  all  those  arts  in  which  the  wise  excel. 
Nature's  chief  masterpiece  is  writing  well ; 
N6  writing  lifts  exalted  man  sO  high 
As  sacred  and  sOul-movKng  poesy. 

Buckingham. 

This  stanza  may  not  be  so  generally  used  as  the  ones  of 
four,  five  and  six  lines,  still  many  beautiful  and  exquisitely 
finished  poem;  are  to  its  credit.  It  is  also  capable  of  many 
nicely  formed  combinations.  The  various  forms  that  may 
be  selected  from  our  best  poems,  examined  and  analyzed, 
will^oon  make  us  familiar  with  the  stanza  of  seven  lines. 
The  first  selection  is  a  sweet,  spicy,  little  love  poem  by 
Charles  Sibley,  entitled  "  The  Plaidie."  How  true  to  na- 
ture are  these  little  word  accents  in  iambic  rhythm.  An 
analysis  of  the  first  line  of  the  stanza  shows  a  line  composed 
of  three  iambic  feet,  with  a  redundant  syllable  ;  the  second 
line  is  composed  of  a  trochee,  and  two  iambuses  ;  the  third 
line  is  composed  of  an  anapest  and  two  iambuses,  with  a  re- 
dundant syllable  ;  the  fourth  line  is  composed  of  an  anapest 
and  two  iambuses  ;  the  fifth  line  is  composed  of  one  iambus 


THE  CONSTRUCTION  OF  THE  STANZA. 


83 


and  a  redundant  syllable  ;  the  sixth  Ime  is  like  the  third  ;  the 
seventh  is  composed  of  three  iambuses.  The  fifth  line  is  a 
monometer,  the  others  trimeter  : 


THE  PLAIDIE. 

tTpon  ane  stormy  Sunday, 
Coming  Sdoon  thg  lane, 

Wfire  a  score  6f  bonnie  lassies — 
And  the  sweetest  I  maintain 
was  Caddie, 

That  1  took  tinneath  my  plaidie, 
T6  shield  hgr  from  thS  rain. 

She  said  that  thg  daisies  blushed 
F6r  the  kiss  that  I  had  ta'en  ; 

1  wadna  hae  thought  the  lassie 
wad  sae  5f  a  kiss  cftmplain  : 
"  N6w,  laddie! 

I  winna  stay  under  yoQr  plaidie, 
If  I  gang  hame  in  the  rain  !" 

Bat  on  an  after  Sunday, 

When  cloud  there  was  n6t  ane, 
This  selfsame  wins5me  lassie 

(We  chance  t5  meet  in  the  lane) 
said,  "Laddie, 
Why  dinna  ye  wear  yoQr  plaidie  ? 

Wha  kens  btit  it  may  rain  ?  " 


"How  Many  Times,"  a  poem  in  iambic  rhythm,  by 
Charles  Lovell  Beddoes,  gives  expression  of  great  love. 
We  have  selected  the  second  stanza  : 


84  T^E  ART  OF  POETRY. 

H6w  many  times  d6  I  love,  again  ? 
T611  me  h6vv  many  beads  there  are 
In  a  silver  chain 
Of  the  evening  rain, 
tJnraveied  from  the  tumbling  main. 

And  threading  the  eye  6f  a  yell6w  star : 
Sft  many  times  d6  I  love,  again. 

"  How  Many  Times." 


Elizabeth  Barrett  Browning  has  written  a  delicately  fin- 
ished and  pathetic  poem  entitled,"  My  Heart  and  I."  We 
give  the  seventh  and  last  stanza.     It  is  iambic  rhythm  : 


Yet,  who  c6mplains  ?    My  heart  and  I  ? 

In  this  abundant  earth  n6  doubt 

ts  little  room  f5r  things  \v6rn  out ; 
Disdain  them,  break  them,  throw  them  by  ; 

And  if  before  the  days  grew  rough, 

we  once  were  loved,  then — well  enough 
I  think  we've  fared,  m>'  heart  and  I. 

"  My  Heart  and  I." 


From  an  old  manuscript  in  the  time  of  Henry  VHI, 
written  anonymously,  the  following  stanza  in  iambic  rhythm 
is  taken  : 


Ah,  my  sweet  sweeting  ; 

My  little  pretty  sweeting. 
My  sweeting  will  I  love  wherever  I  go  ; 
She  is  s6  proper  and  pure, 
TrQe,  steadfast,  stable  and  demure, 
There  is  n5ne  siich,  yoQ  may  be  sure. 

As  my  sweet  sweeting. 

"  My  Sweet  Sweeting. 


THE  CONSTRUCTION  OF  THE  STANZA.  85 

Tennyson's  "Song  of  the  Milkmaid,"  from  "Queen 
Mary, "  is  a  fine  specimen  of  the  seven  hne  stanza.  It  is 
trochaic  measure  : 


Shame  ttpon  yott,  Robin, 

Shame  tlpon  yoti  now  ! 
Kiss  mS  would  yott  ?  with  m^  hands 

Milking  thS  cow  ? 

Daisies  grow  Sgain, 

King  cttps  blow  Sgain, 
And  yoti  came  Snd  kissed  m^  milking  thS  cow. 


Jean  Ingelow  is  the  author  of  "  Songs  of  Seven,"  which 
contains  a  love  song  in  anapestic  rhythm  : 

I  leaned  6ut  6f  wind5w,  I  smelt  th6  white  clover, 
Dark,  dark  wSs  thg  garden,  1  saw  n6t  thS  gate  ; 
"  N6w,  if  thSre  bS  footsteps,  hS  comes,  my  6wn  lovSr, — 
Htish,  nightingale,  hiish  !     0  swe^t  nightingale,  wait 
Till  I  listen  and  hear 
If  a  step  drawSth  near, 
F6r  my  love  h6  is  late  ! 

"  Seven  Times  Three,  Love." 

A  poem  greatly  admired  is  by  Rev.  Charles  Kingsley. 
It  is  an  anapestic  rhythm.  The  stanza  which  we  have 
selected  is  an  anapestic  tetrameter,  and  analyzed  is  as 
follows:  The  first  line  is  composed  of  two  anapestic  and 
two  iambic  feet  ;  the  second  line  is  like  the  first  ;  the  third 
is  composed  of  four  iambic  feet  ;  the  fourth  is  composed  of 
one  iambic  and  three  anapestic  feet ;  the  fifth  is  composed 
of  one  anapestic  and  three  iambic  feet ;  the  sixth  is  like  the 
third  ;  and  the  seventh  line  is  like  the  fifth,    the   anapestic 


36  THE  ART  OF  POETR  Y. 

foot  prevailing  denotes  the  rhythm    of  the   tJtanza.     The 
third  stanza  is  as  follows  : 


Three  corpses  IS}-  out  6n  the  shining  sands 
In  the  morning  gleam  Ss  the  tide  went  down, 

And  the  women  5re  weeping  and  wringing  their  hands 
F6r  tliose  wh5  will  never  c6me  back  t6  the  town, 

F6r  men  mtist  work,  Snd  women  mtist  weep ; 
And  the  sooner  Us  over,  the  sooner  t6  sleep  ; 

And  go6d-bye  t6  the  bar  Snd  its  moaning. 

"The  Three  Fishers.' 


"My  Love  is  Dead,"  is  a  poem  by  Thomas  Chatterton, 
in  trochaic  measure  composed  of  nine  stanzas,  from  which 
we  have  selected  the  second.  The  measure  is  mixed,  the 
trochaic  foot  prevailing.  The  stanza  is  tetrameter,  except 
the  fifth  and  sixth  lines,  they  being  dimeter.  The  first  and 
third,  the  second  and  fourth  lines  rhyme.  The  fifth  and 
sixth  being  a  rhyming  couplet : 

Black  his  hair  as  the  summer  night, 

White  his  neck  as  the  winter  snow, 
Ruddy  his  face  as  the  morning  light  ; 
Cold  he  lies  in  the  grave  below. 
My  love  is  dead 
Gone  t6  his  death-bed, 
All  under  the  will6w  tree. 

"My  Love  is  Dead." 

Henry  N,  Cobb  is  the  author  of  the  following  lines  in 
iambic  rhythm.  The  first  four  lines  being  pentameter,  the 
fifth  and  sixth  dimeter,  and  the  seventh  a  monometer.  We 
give  the  first  stanza  of  the  poem  : 


THE  CONSTRUCTION  OF  THE  STANZA. 


87 


Th6  way  Ks  dark,  my  Fathfer  !    Cloud  5n  cloud 
Is  gathering  thickly  o'er  my  head,  ind  loud 
The  thunders  roar  above  m£.    See,  1  stand 
LKke  one  bgwild^red  !     Father,  take  my  hand, 
And  through  thS  gloom 
LSad  safely  home 
Thy  child ! 

"  Father,  Take  my  Hand" 

In  a  fine  descriptive  poem  Francis  Bret  Harte  thus  nar- 
rates the  cause  of  the  fear  of  the  inhabitants  of  a  seaport 
town,  in  iambic  rhythm.      We  give  the  second  stanza  : 

G6od  cause  f6r  fear  !    In  thg  thick  mKdday 

Th6  hulk  that  lay  by  thg  rotting  pier, 
Filled  with  children  in  happy  play, 

Parted  the  moorings  find  drifted  clear, — 
Drifted  clSar  bgyond  thg  reach  6r  call, — 
Thirteen  children  thgy  were  in  all, — 
All  adrift  in  the  lower  bay  ! 

^ .—"A  Greyport  Legend." 

A  ride  made  famous  in  iambic  tetrameter  is  that  of  Sheri- 
dan's from  Winchestertown.     We  give  the  first  stanza  : 

tip  from  the  South  at  break  5f  day 
Bringing  t6  Winchester  fresh  dismay. 
The  affrighted  air  with  a  shiidder  bore, 
Like  a  herald  in  haste,  t6  the  chieftain's  door, 
The  terrible  griimbie,  and  riimble,  and  roar, 
Telling  the  battle  was  on  Once  more. 
And  Sheridan  twenty  miles  away. 

Thomas  Buchanan  Read — "Sheridan's  Ride." 

Another  little  poem  depicting  rural  sport,  is  by  Thomas 
Tod    Stoddart,   in   trochaic   rhythm.     It   is   very   cleverly 


88  THE  ART  OF  POETRY. 

written   and   the   stanza   worth   reading  to  a  lover  of  the 
sport.     We  give  the  first  stanza  : 

Sing,  swefit  thrushgs,  forth  and  sing ! 

Meet  thS  morn  tipon  th6  lea  ; 
Are  thg  emerafds  of  th2  spring 

On  the  angler's  trysting-tree  ? 

Tell,  sweSt  thrushes,  tell  t6  me  ! 

Are  there  biids  6n  6ur  will5w-tree  ? 

Buds  and  birds  5n  5ur  trysting-tree  ? 

' '  The  Angler's  Trysting-Tree. ' ' 

What  a  fine  sentiment  is  contained  in  this  stanza,  the 
last  one  of  a  poem  by  Mrs.  Craik.      It  is  iambic  rhythm  : 

0  soul,  fttrget  the  weight  that  drags  theg  down, 

Deathfillly,  deathfttUy: 
Kn6w  thyself.     As  thKs  glory  wraps  thee  round. 
Let  it  melt  off  the  chains  that  long  have  bound 
Thy  strength.     Stand  free  before  thy  God  and  cry — 

"  My  Father,  here  am  I : 
Gtve  to  me  as  th6u  wilt — first  cross,  then  crown." 

"The  Aurora  on  the  Clyde." 

And  by  the  same  author  we  find  a  fine  iambic  stanza 
taken  from  a  poem  entitled  "  Sitting  on  the  Shore  "  : 

6  life,  0  silent  shore. 
Where  we  sit  patient :  O  great  sea  beyond 
T6  which  we  turn  with  solemn  hope  and  fond, 

BGt  s6rr6wful  n5  more  : 

A  little  while,  and  then  we  too  shall  soar 
Like  white-winged  sea-birds  int6  the  Infinite  Deep  ; 
Till  then,  Th5u,  Father — wilt  otir  spirits  keep. 

"  Sitting  on  the  Shore." 


THE  COA'S /RUCTION  OF  THE  STANZA.  8g 

Let  us  give  still  another  from  the  same  author.  It  is 
from  a  poem  in  anapestic  rhythm  entitled,  "Sleep  on  Till 
Day"  : 

Y6t  life's  bOt  3  visi6n  to6  lovely?  t6  stay  : 

M6rn  passes,  no6n  hastens,  and  pleastires  d^cay  ; 

And  evening  approaches  Snd  closes  th6  day  : 

Th6n  laid  with  praisSs 

tJndSr  the  daisies  : 
Smiling  we'll  creep  to  5ur  pillOw  of  clay, 
And  sleep  5n  till  Day,  my  I6ve,  sleep  6n  till  Day. 

For  one  desirous  of  selecting  a  wife,  the  following  stanza 
may  be  of  some  practical  help.  The  poem  is  an  iambic 
tetrameter.     Here  is  the  third  stanza  : 

If  I  cotild  find  a  lassie — mild, 
WomSn  in  wit,  in  heart  a  child : 

Blithe^' ust  t6  sweeten  s6rr6w  ; 
sedate  enoiigh  t6  temper  mirth — 
Meek-hearted,  rich  in  household  worth — 
N6t  quite  the  ugliest  girl  6n  earth, — 
I'd  marry  her  t6m6rr6w. 

Cra/yJ— "  The  Six  Sisters." 

A  ' '  Dream  in  the  Woods, ' '  written  by  Thomas  Hood,  in 
iambic  rhythm,  is  a  poem  of  excellent  merit — contemplative 
in  character.     We  give  the  sixty-seventh  stanza  : 

Btit  haughty  peer  and  mighty  king 
One  doom  shall  overwhelm  ! 

The  oaken  cell 

Shall  lodge  him  well 
Wh6se  sceptre  ruled  a  realm — 
While  he  wh6  never  knew  a  home 
Shan  tind  it  in  the  elm  ! 
*JL  "The  Elm  Tree." 


90 


THE  ART  OF  POETRY. 


Henry  Carey  is  the  author  of  "God  Save  the  King," 
written  in  dactylic  rhythm.     We  give  a  stanza  : 

God  save  6ur  graciotis  king, 
Long  live  6ur  noblS  king, 

God  save  the  king  ! 
Send  hTm  vtctoriotis 
Happy  and  gloriotls, 
Long  t6  r^ign  ov^r  tSs, 

God  save  the  king  ! 

A  patriotic  poem  by  Francis  Bret  Harte  furnishes  this 
excellent  stanza  in  trochaic  rhythm.  The  second  one  of  the 
poem  is  selected  : 

' '  Let  me  of  m^'  heart  take  counsel : 

War  Is  not  6f  life  the  sum  ; 
Who  shall  stay  and  reap  the  harvest 
When  the  auttimn  days  shall  come  ?  " 
But  the  drum 
Ech6ed,  "Come! 
Death  shall  reap  the  braver  harvest,"  said  the 
,  solemn  sounding  drum. 

"  The  Reveille." 

Lord  Tennyson  is  the  author  of  a  soul-stirring  poem  in 
dactylic  rhythm.     The  second  stanza  is  given  : 

Be  n6t  deaf  t6  the  sound  that  warns  ! 

Be  n6t  galled  by  a  despOfs  plea  ! 
Are  figs  Of  thistles,  Or  grapes  Of  thorns  ? 

How  shoQld  a  despot  set  men  free  ? 

Form  !  form,  Riflemen,  form  ! 

Ready,  be  ready  tO  meet  the  storm  ! 

Riflemen,  riflemen,  riflemen,  form  ! 

"The  War." 


THE  CONSTRUCTION  OF  THE  STANZA. 


91 


Phoebe  Carey  has  written  many  tender  and  charming 
poems.  The  art  of  the  poet  was  one  she  thoroughly  under- 
stood. This  stanza,  the  last  one  of  the  poem,  is  in  trochaic 
rhythm  : 

Ah  wKse  mother  !  if  yoii  proved 

LovSr  nevfir  crossed  hfir  way, 

I  wotild  think  thS  self-sSme  way. 
EvSr  since  thS  world  his  moved, 

Babes  se6m  w6m6n  in  S  day  ; 

And,  alas  !  and  well  a  day  ! 
Men  have  wooed  and  maidens  loved  ! 

Phcebe  Cary — "Gracie." 


Matthew  Arnold  has  written  a  fine  poem,  which  he  entitles 
"A  Question."  It  is  trochaic  rhythm.  We  give  the  first 
and  second  stanzas  : 


Joy  c6mes  and  goes,  hope  6bbs  and  flows 

Like  the  wave ; 
Change  d6th  tinknit  thS  tranquil  strength  6f  men. 

Love  iSnds  life  a  littlg  grace, 
A  few  sad  smiles  and  then 
Both  are  laid  in  one  c51d  place,  — 
In  the  grave. 

Dreams  dawn  and  fly,  friends  smile  and  die 

Like  spring  flowers; 
Our  vaunted  life  is  one  l6ng  fungral. 

Men  dig  graves  with  bittSr  tears 
For  their  dead  h5pes  ;  and  all. 
Mazed  with  doubts  and  sick  with  fears, 
Count  the  hours. 

"A  Question." 


92 


THE  ARJ-  OF  POETRY. 


What  is  known  as  the  Rhyme-Royal,  a  stanza  invented 
by  Chaucer,  is  still  another  form  of  the  seven  line  stanza. 
The  first  four  lines  being  an  ordinary  quatrain,  with  alternate 
lines  rhyming,  the  fifth  line  repeating  the  rhyme  of  the 
fourth,  and  the  last  two  rhymes  forming  a  rhyming  couplet. 
We  give  a  stanza  illustrating  : 

And  thou,  swefet  Music,  dancing's  only  life, 
The  ear's  s6le  happiness,  th£  air's  best  speech, 

Loadstone  6f  fellowship,  charming-rod  6f  strife, 
The  soft  mind's  paradise,  the  sick  man's  leech, 
With  thine  Own  tongue  thOu  trees  and  stones  can'st  teach, 

That,  when  the  air  dOth  dance  her  finest  meastire. 

Then  art  thOu  born,  the  gods'  and  men's  sweet  pleasfire. 

Sir  John  Dames — "The  Dancing  of  the  Air." 

THE  EIGHT  LINE  STANZA. 

This  stanza  is  used  extensively  in  writing  poetry.  No 
form,  unless  it  should  be  the  quatrain,  is  in  such  general 
use.  It  is  capable  of  great  variety.  The  stanza  may  be 
composed  of  four  couplets,  or  a  six  line  stanza  and  a  couplet, 
or  a  seven  line  stanza  with  an  odd  rhyming  line. 

As  our  object  is  not  only  the  familiarizing  ourselves  with 
the  various  forms  of  the  stanza,  but  also  to  learn  perfectly 
the  art  of  scansion,  become  perfectly  acquainted  with  the 
rhythm  and  meter  of  verse,  we  shall  endeavor  to  select 
from  the  best  authors  the  various  forms  of  the  eight  line 
stanza,  assuring  the  reader  that  he  cannot  be  too  familiar 
with  the  formation  of  the  stanzas,  if  he  has  a  desire  to 
become  perfectly  acquainted  with  the  art  of  versification. 

The  selections  given,  while  but  a  single  stanza  of  some 
excellent  poem,  will  certainly  be  a  help  to  the  reader  who 
will  undoubtedly  follow  up  the  poem  and  give  to  it  a  thor- 


THE  CONSTRUCTION  OF  THE  STANZA. 


93 


ough  reading.  First,  we  have  selected  the  fourth  stanza  of 
Thomas  Hood's  "  The  Song  of  the  Shirt."  It  is  iambic 
rhythm.     The  stanza  is  as  follows  : 

Oh  !  men  with  sisters  dear  ! 

Oh  !  men  with  mothers  Snd  wives  ! 
It  Is  n6t  llngn  yoQ're  wearing  out, 

BGt  hiiman  creattires'  lives  ! 
Stitch— stitch— stitch ! 

In  poverty,  hunger  and  dirt, 
Sewing  at  once,  with  a  double  thread, 

A  SHROUD  as  well  as  a  shirt ! 

What  can  be  more  beautiful  than  the  poem  of  Edward 
Coate  Pinkney  entitled,  "  A  Health?"  It  is  also  in  iambic 
rhythm.  The  poem  is  composed  of  five  stanzas.  We  have 
selected  the  last,  as  follows  : 

I  fill  this  cup  t6  one  made  up 

Of  loveliness  alone, 
A  woman,  of  hgr  gentle  sex 

The  seeming  paragon. 
HSr  health  !  and  would  6n  earth  thSre  stood 

S6me  more  6f  such  a  frame. 
That  life  might  be  all  p66try, 

And  weariness  a  name. 

Philip  Pendleton  Cooke  gives  us  a  fine  example  of  an 
eight  line  stanza  in  a  little  poem  entitled,  "  Florence  Vane. " 
It  is  iambic  rhythm.     We  select  the  third  stanza  : 

Thou  wast  lovelier  than  th6  ros^s 

In  their  prime  ; 
Thy  voice  Excelled  thg  cl6s6s 

Of  sweetest  rhyme ; 
Thy  heart  was  a  rivSr 

Without  a  main. 
WoQld  1  had  loved  the6  nev6r, 

Florence  Vane. 


94 


THE  ART  OF  POETRY. 


Samuel  Daniel  has  written  a  neat  little  poem  entitled, 
' '  Love  is  a  Sickness. ' '     We  give  the  last  stanza  : 

L6ve  is  a  torment  of  th6  mind, 

A  tempest  everlasting ; 
And  Jove  hath  made  it  of  3  kind, 
N6t  well,  n6r  fQll,  n6r  fasting. 
Why  so? 
M6re  we  Snjoy  it,  more  it  dies  ; 
If  not  enjoyed,  it  sighing  cries 
Heigh-ho. 

James  Shirley  is  the  author  of  a  fine  poem  in  iambic 
rhythm  entitled,  "  Death  the  Leveler."  The  last  stanza  is 
selected  : 

The  garlSnds  wither  on  yo&r  brow, 

Then  boast  n6  more  yoQr  mighty  deeds  ; 
ijpon  death's  purple  altar  now 
See  where  the  vict5r-victim  bleeds  ; 
Your  heads  mtist  come 
T6  the  c51d  tomb  ; 
Only  the  acti6ns  of  the  just 
Smell  sweet,  and  bl6ss6m  in  their  dust. 

Alexander  Rogers  gives  us  a  beautiful  stanza,  in  a  love 
poem  entitled,  "Behave  Yourself  Before  Folk."  We 
select  the  fifth  stanza,  which  is  iambic  rhythm  : 

Ye  tell  me  that  my  lips  are  sweet : 
Sic  tales,  1  doubt  are  a'  deceit ; — 
At  ony  rate,  it's  hardly  meet 

T6  prie  their  sweets  before  fOlk. 

Behave  yotirsel'  before  fOlk, — 

Behave  yoQrsel'  before  f6lk, — 
Gin  that's  the  case,  there's  time  and  place, 

But  surely  no  before  f6lk  ! 


THE  CONSTRUCTION  OF  THE  STANZA.  95 

John  G.  Saxe,  the  author  of  so  many  excellent  poems, 
who  delighted  the  reading  public  throughout  his  life,  tells 
us  he  is  growing  old  in  these  finished  lines  entitled,  "I'm 
Growing  Old."  We  give  the  fourth  stanza.  It  is  iambic 
tetrameter  : 

I  feel  it  In  my  changing  taste  ; 

1  see  it  In  my  changing  hair ; 
1  see  it  In  my  growing  waist ; 

1  see  it  In  my  growing  heir  ; 
A  thousand  signs  prSclaim  the  truth, 

As  plain  as  truth  wSs  ev^  told, 
That,  evgn  In  my  vaunted  youth, 

I'm  growing  old  !  " 

An  anonymous  poem  entitled,  ' '  The  Grave  of  Bona- 
parte "  is  a  beautiful  eight  line  stanza  in  anapestic  rhythm. 
We  have  selected  the  first  stanza  : 

On  a  lone-barrSn  Isle,  wh^re  the  wlld-roaring  bI116ws 

Assail  the  stern  rock,  and  the  loud-tempests  rave, 
The  her5  lies  still,  while  the  dew-dr6pping  wIllOws, 

Like  fond-weeping  mourners  lean  over  the  grave. 
The  lightnings  may  flash,  and  the  loud-thQnders  rattle  ; 

He  heeds  n6t,  he  hears  n6t,  he's  free  fr5m  all  pain  ; — 
He  sleeps  his  last  sleep — he  has  fought  his  last  battle  ! 

N6  sound  can  awake  him  t6  glory  again  ! 

' '  A  Doubting  Heart, ' '  by  Adelaide  Anne  Proctor,  is  a 
pathetic  poem  in  iambic  rhythm,  expressive  of  sorrow  and 
adversity.     We  give  the  third  stanza  : 

The  sun  has  hid  its  rays 

These  many  days ; 
Will  dreary  hours  never  leave  the  earth  ? 
(y  doubting  heart ! 
The  stormj^  clouds  5n  high 
Veil  the  same  sunny  sky 
That  soon,  f6r  spring  is  nigh, 
Shall  wake  the  siimmer  Int6  golden  mirth. 


ge  THE  AR  T  OF  POE  TR  Y. 

We  present  below  a  stanza  of  eight  lines,  the  second, 
fourth,  sixth  and  eighth  lines  rhyming.  It  is  taken  from 
one  of  the  finest  poems  in  the  English  language,  ' '  Man  was 
Made  to  Mourn,"  by  Robert  Burns.  It  is  iambic  rhythm. 
We  give  the  eleventh  stanza  : 

0  Death  !  the  poor  mSn's  dearest  friend, 

The  kindest  and  th6  best ! 
Welc6me  th6  hour  my  agSd  limbs 

Are  laid  with  thee  St  rest ! 
The  great,  the  wealthy,  fear  thy  blow, 

FrOm  pomp  Snd  pleasure  torn  ; 
BQtO,  a  blest  relief  t5  those 

That  weary-laden  mourn  ! 

The  "Cavalry  Song"  by  Edmund  Clarence  Stedman- 
taken  from  "Alice  of  Monmouth,"  is  a  poem  showy  and 
animated,  a  very  neat  form  of  the  eight  line  stanza.  It  is 
also  iambic  rhythm.     We  give  the  second  stanza  : 

Dish  on  beneath  the  smoktng  dome  ; 

Thro&gh  level  lightnings  gall5p  nearer  ! 
One  look  t5  Heaven  !     N5  thoughts  5f  home  ; 

The  guIdSns  that  we  bear  Sre  dearer. 
CHARGE! 
Cling  !  Clang  !  forward  all  ! 
Heaven  help  those  wh6se  horses  fall  ; 

cat  left  and  right ! 

Caroline  E.  Norton  is  known  the  world  over  by  ' '  Bingen 
on  the  Rhine."  The  poem  is  highly  descriptive,  tender 
and  sympathetic,  touching  a  keynote  that  reverberates  and 
swells  as  the  reader  cons  each  line.  It  is  in  iambic  measure 
— an  iambic  heptameter  ; 


THE  CONSTRUCTION  OF  THE  STANZA. 


97 


HTs  trembling  voice  gr6w  faint  Snd  hoarse — his  gasp  wSs  childish 

weak, — 
His  eyes  pQt  on  a  dying  look, — he  sighed  find  ceased  t6  speak  ; 
His  comrade  bent  t6  lift  him,  biit  th6  spark  6f  life  had  fled  ! 
The  soldier  of  the  Legion,  in  a  foreign  land — is  dead  ! 
And  the  soft  mo5n  rose  tip  slowly,  and  calmly  she  lo6ked  down 
(^n  the  red  sand  of  the  battlefield  with  bloody  corses  strewn  ; 
Yes,  calmly  on  that  dreadf  til  scene  her  piile  light  seemed  t6  shine, 
As  it  shone  6n  distant  Bingen — fair  Bingen  on  the  Rhine  ! 

John  G.  Saxe  is  the  author  of  "  American  Aristocracy," 
from  which  we  have  selected  the  first  stanza.  It  is  iambic 
rhythm  : 

Of  all  the  notable  things  6n  earth, 
The  queerest  one  is  pride  6f  birth 

Among  6ur  "  fierce  democracy? !  " 
A  bridge  across  a  hundred  years. 
Without  a  prop  t5  save  it  fr5m  sneers, 
N6t  even  a  couple  6f  rotten  peers, — 
A  thing  6f  laughter,  fleers  and  jeers, 

Is  American  aristocracy ! 


How  true  to  nature  is  this  poem  by  Joanna  BaiIHe,  entitled 
"  The  Heath-Cock."  It  is  iambic  rhythm.  We  select  the 
first  stanza  : 

Go6d  morr6w  to  th)^  sable  beak 
And  glossy  pliimage  dark  and  sleek. 
Thy  crims5n  moon  and  aztire  eye, 
C6ck  of  the  heath,  s5  wildly  shy  ; 
1  see  thee  slyly  cowering  throijgh 
That  wiry  web  6f  silvery  dew, 
That  twinkles  in  the  morning  air, 
Like  casements  of  my  lady  fair. 


gS  THE  AR  T  OF  POE  TR  Y. 

The  Italian  Heroic  meter  in  which  Tasso  and  Ariosto 
wrote,  known  as  the  "  Ottava  Rima,"  is  a  stanza  of  eight 
iambic  pentameter  lines.  The  stanza  consists  of  six  lines 
rhyming  alternately,  and  the  seventh  and  eighth  a  rhyming 
couplet.  Lord  Byron  wrote  ' '  Don  Juan  ' '  in  this  stanza, 
a  selection  from  the  first  canto,  is  here  given  : 

'Tis  sweet  t6  hear  thg  watch-d5g's  honest  bark 

BSy  deep-m6uthed  welc6me  as  w6  draw  nfiar  home  ; 

'Tis  sweet  16  know  thgre  is  Sn  eye  wtll  mark 
Our  coming,  and  lo6k  brighter  when  wS  come  ; 

'TTs  sweet  tft  be  Swak^ned  by  th^  lark. 
Or  lulled  by  falling  waters  ;  sweet  thg  lium 

Of  bees,  thfi  voice  iSi  girls,  thS  song  5f  birds, 

The  lisp  6f  children,  and  thSir  earliest  words. 

THE  NINE  LINE  STANZA. 

The  nine  line  stanza  gives  fine  effect  to  English  poetry, 
and  hence  may  be  termed  a  favorite  among  writers.  It  is 
capable  of  many  combinations.  One  form,  however,  of  the 
nine  line  stanza  is  fixed,  and  it  is  this  form  that  is  so  justly 
praised  and  highly  noted.  It  is  the  Spenserian,  so  named 
from  Edmund  Spenser,  the  author  of  "  The  Fairy  Queen," 
who  composed  that  beautiful  poem  in  that  stanza.  While 
Spenser  is  generally  accredited  as  being  the  inventor  of  the 
form  of  the  stanza  that  now  bears  his  name,  and  is  so  widely 
used,  he  borrowed  it  from  Italian  poetry. 

Many  of  the  highest  types  of  poetical  composition,  we 
find  in  this  stanza — Byron's  "  Childe  Harold,"  Burns' 
"  Cotter's  Saturday  Night,"  Beattie's  "Minstrel,"  Thom- 
son's "Castle  of  Indolence."  The  Spenserian  stanza  con- 
sists of  nine  lines,  the  first  eight  being  iambic  pentameter, 
the  ninth  an  iambic  hexameter.      The  stanza  is  composed  of 


THE  CONSTRUCTION  OF  THE  STANZA. 


99 


two  quatrains  rhyming  in  alternate  lines.  The  last  line  of  the 
first  quatrain  rhymes  with  the  first  line  of  the  second  quat- 
rain ;  the  ninth  line  rhyming  with  the  eighth. 


Ah  !    who  can  tell  h6w  hard  It  is  t5  climb 

The  steep  where  Fame's  pr6ud  templg  shines  afar  ! 

Ah  !  who  cSn  tell  h6w  many  a  soul  sQblime 

Has  felt  the  inflaence  of  malignant  star, 

And  waged  with  Fortilne  an  Sternal  war  ; 

Checked  by  thS  scoff  6f  Pride,  by  Envy's  frown, 

And  Poverty's  Qnc6nqu6rabl6  bar; 

In  life's  16w  vale  remote  has  pined  alone, 

Thgn  dropped  into  th6  grave,  tinpitied  and  Qnknown  ! 

Bea^lte— "The  Minstrel. 


We  have  also  selected  a  stanza  from  a  beautiful  poem, 
"  Philip,  My  King,"  an  illustration  of  childhood.  It  is  by 
Dinah  Maria  Mulock  Craik.  It  is  iambic  rhythm.  We 
select  the  first  stanza  : 


Lo6k  at  m6  with  thy  large  br6wn  eyes, 

Philip,  my  king  ! 
R6und  whom  th6  enshad6wing  purplS  lies 
Of  babyho5d's  royal  dignities. 
Lay  on  my  neck  thy  tiny  hand 

With  Love's  invincible  sceptfir  ladgn  ; 
I  am  thine  Esther,  to  command 
Till  thou  shalt  find  a  queen-handmaid6n, 
Philip,  my  king ! 


Another  fine  nine  line  stanza  is  from  the  pen  of  Sir 
Charles  Sedley,  entitled,  "  Phillis  is  My  Only  Joy."  It  is 
trochaic  rhythm.     We  give  the  first  stanza  • 


joo  THE  ART  OF  POETRY. 

Phlllis  is  my  only  joy, 

Faithless  as  the  wind  6r  seas  ; 
Sometimes  coming,  sometimes  coy. 
Yet  she  never  fails  t5  please. 
If  with  a  frown 
1  am  cast  down, 
Phillis,  smiling 
And  beguiling, 
Makes  me  happier  than  before. 

Robert  Burns  touched  the  hearts  of  all  Scotland,  as  well 
as  the  reading  world,  when  he  gave  to  the  public,  ' '  The 
Cotter's  Saturday  Night."  It  is  a  poem  that  portrays 
vividly  the  life  of  the  Scottish  peasant,  and  is  so  true  and 
accurate  as  to  bring  home  to  all,  the  scenes  it  so  faithfully 
depicts.  The  rhythm  is  iambic.  We  select  the  third 
stanza: 

At  length  his  lonely  cot  appears  in  view, 
*  Beneath  the  shelter  of  an  aged  tree  ; 

The  expectant  wee  things  toddlin',  stacher  throQgh 

T6  meet  their  dad,  wi'  llichierin"  noise  an'  glee. 
His  wee  bit  ingle  blinking  bonnily, 

His  clean  hearthstftne,  his  thriftie  wifie's  smile, 
The  lisping  infant  prattling  on  his  knee, 

D6es  fi'  his  weary  carking  cares  beguile. 
And  makes  him  quite  fSrget  his  labSr  and  his  toil. 

William  Cullen  Bryant  is  the  author  of  this  stanza, 
selected  from  one  of  his  poems  entided,  "June."  The 
measure  is  iambic.      We  give  the  third  stanza  : 

There  through  the  long,  16ng  summer  hours 

The  golden  light  shoQld  lie. 
And  thick  yOung  herbs  and  groups  6f  flowers 

Stand  in  their  beauty  by. 


THE  CONSTRUCTION  OF  THE  STANZA.  joi 

The  oriole  shotlld  build  Snd  tell 
HTs  love-tale  close  bfiside  my  cell ; 

The  Idle  butterfly 
Shoiild  rest  him  there,  and  there  be  heard 
The  housewife  bee  and  humming-bird. 

Another  beautiful  poem  is  selected  from  the  same  author. 
Who  hasn't  read  William  Cullen  Bryant's  "  Robert  of 
Lincoln,"  and  admired  the  charming  rhythm?  The  meas- 
ure is  mixed,  the  trochaic  prevailing.  We  select  the  fifth 
stanza  : 

Six  white  eggs  6n  a  bed  6f  hay, 

Flecked  with  piirple,  a  pretty  sight ! 
There  as  the  mother  sits  all  diiy, 

Robert  is  singing  with  all  his  might ; 
B6b-6'-link,  b6b-6'-link. 
Spink,  spank,  spink  ; 
Nice  go6d  wife,  that  never  g5es  out. 
Keeping  h5use  while  I  frolic  about. 
.Chee,  chee,  chee. 

From  Byron's  "  Childe  Harold,"  Canto  III,  we  select 
the  following  stanza  from  his  description  of  "Waterloo." 
No  grander  poem  of  its  kind  was  ever  written.  It  is 
written  in  Spenserian  stanza,  which  is  always  iambic  rhythm. 
The  first  eight  lines  are  iambic  pentameter,  the  ninth  line 
being  an  hexameter  • 

Ah  !  then  and  there  was  hiirrying  to  and  fro. 

And  gathering  tears,  and  tremblings  of  distress. 

And  cheeks  all  pale  which  but  an  hour  ago 

Blushed  at  the  praise  6f  iheir  5wn  loveliness  ; 

And  there  were  sudden  partings,  siich  as  press 

The  life  fr6m  out  yoting  hearts,  and  choking  sighs 

Which  ne'er  might  be  repeated  ;  who  woiild  guess 

If  evermore  shotild  meet  thSse  miitual  eyes 

Since  up5n  night  s6  sweet  siich  awfQl  morn  cotlld  rise  ! 


I02  THE  ART  OF  POETRY 

How  beautiful  are  the  "Lines''  by  Thomas  Campbell, 
"  On  leaving  a  Scene  in  Bavaria."  We  select  the  seventh 
stanza.      It  is  iambic  rhythm  : 

Y6s  !  i  have  loved  thy  wild  Sbode, 

tlnknown,  tinploughed,  Qntroddfen  shore  ; 
Where  scarce  the  woodman  finds  a  road, 

And  scarce  th6  f  ishfir  plies  an  oar ; 

F5r  man's  neglect  1  love  thee  more  ; 
That  art  nOr  avarice  Intriide 

T6  tame  thy  torrent's  thOnder-shock, 

Or  prune  thy  vintage  of  the  rock 
Magnificently  rude. 

A  fine  variation  of  the  Spenserian  stanza  is  found  in  the 
following  from  Percy  Bysshe  Shelley's  lines  entitled,  "  The 
Sun  is  Warm,  the  Sky  is  Clear."  It  is  iambic  rhythm. 
We  select  the  third  stanza  : 

Alas  !  1  have  n5r  hope  n6r  health, 

NQr  peace  within,  n5r  calm  around, 

N6r  that  C5ntent  surpassing  wealth 

The  sage  in  meditation  found. 

And  walked  witli  inward  glory  crowned,— 

N6r  fame,  n6r  power,  n6r  love,  x\hr  leistire, 

Others  I  see  wh6m  these  stirround  ; 

Smiling  they  live,  and  call  life  pleasure  ; 

T6  me  that  cup  has  been  dealt  in  another  measflre. 

THE  TEN  LINE  STANZA. 

This  form  of  the  stanza  is  widely  used.  It  may  be  em- 
ployed in  many  combinations.  Five  couplets  make  a  beau- 
tiful ten  line  stanza.  Three  triplets  and  a  single  line  may 
be  used.  The  quatrain  doubled  and  the  couplet  combined 
form  the  stanza.      It  can  be  formed  of  two  five  line  stanzas  ; 


THE  CONSTRUCTION  OF  THE  STANZA. 


103 


of  a  six  line  and  a  quatrain  ;  of  a  seven  line  and  a  triplet. 
We  select  a  stanza  from  Shakespeare,  entitled,  "  Blow, 
Blow,  Thou  Winter  Wind,"  from  "As  You  Like  It,"  act 
ii,  scene  7.  It  is  iambic  rhythm.  We  select  the  first 
stanza  : 

B16w,  blow,  th6u  winter  wind, 

Th6u  art  nftt  so  tinkind 
As  man's  ingratitude  ; 

Thy  tooth  is  not  s6  keen, 

Because  thOu  art  n6t  seen, 
Although  thy  breath  bS  rude. 
Heigh-ho  !  sing  heigh-ho  !  tinto  the  green  holly  ; 
M5st  friendship  is  feigning,  mftst  loving  mere  folly; 
Then  heigh-ho,  the  holly  ! 
This  life  is  m6st  jolly  ! 

Our  next  selection  is  a  poem  from  John  Keats.  It  is  one 
of  the  best  of  that  celebrated  writer's  productions.  It  is 
entitled,  ' '  Ode  to  a  Nightingale. ' '  We  select  the  seventh 
stanza  : 

Th5u  wast  n6t  born  f5r  death,  immortal  Bird  ! 

N6  hungry  generati6ns  tread  thee  down  ; 
The  voice  I  hear  this  passing  night  wSs  heard 

In  ancient  days  by  emperor  Snd  clown  ; 
perhaps  the  self-sSme  song  that  found  a  path 

ThroQgh  the  sad  heart  6f  Ruth,  when  sick  f5r  home. 
She  stood  in  tears  amid  the  alien  corn  ;      _ 

The  same  that  oft-times  hath 
Charmed  magic  casements  opening  on  the  foam 

Of  periloQs  seas,  in  faery  lands  f6rl6rn. 

Charles  Mackay  has  written  an  excellent  poem  which  has 
been  olt  quoted,  entitled,  "Tell  Me,  Ye  Winged  Winds." 
It  is  iambic  measure.      We  select  the  first  stanza  : 


I04  THE  ART  OF  POETRY. 

T611  me,  y^  winged  winds, 

That  round  my  pathway  roar, 
D6  ye  n6t  know  s6me  spot 

Where  mortals  weep  n5  more  ? 
S6me  lone  and  pleasant  dell, 

S6me  valley  in  the  west, 
Where  free  fr6m  toil  and  pain, 

The  weary  soul  may  rest  ? 
The  loud  wind  dwindled  to  a  whisper  low, 
And  sighed  fbr  pity  as  it  answered,  "  No." 

.  Milton's  "May  Morning"  is  another  charming  ten  line 
stanza.      It  is  also  iambic  rhythm,  as  follows  : 

N5w  the  bright  morning  star,  day's  iiarbinger, 
COmes  dancing  from  the  east,  and  leads  with  her 
The  flowery  May,  wh6  from  her  green  lap  throws 
The  yellftw  cowslip  and  the  pale  primrose. 
Hail,  bounteous  May  !  that  doth  inspire 
Mirth  and  youth  and  warm  desire  ; 
Woods  and  groves  are  of  thy  dressing, 
Hill  and  dale  d6th  boast  thy  blessing, 
ThOs  we  saliite  thee  with  6ur  early  song, 
And  welc6me  thee,  and  wish  thee  long. 

"The  Owl,"  a  poem  by  Bryan  W.  Proctor,  furnishes 
another  excellent  ten  line  stanza,  in  a  mixed  anapestic  and 
iambic  rhythm,  the  iambic  prevailing.  We  select  the  first 
stanza  : 

In  the  hollOw  tree,  in  the  old  gray  tower. 

The  spectral  owl  d5th  dwell ; 
DQll,  hated,  despised,  in  the  siinshine  hour, 

BOt  at  dusk  he's  abroad  and  well  ! 
N6t  a  bird  5f  the  forest  e'er  mates  with  him  ; 

All  mock  him  outright  by  day  ; 
BQt  at  night,  when  the  woods  gr6w  still  and  dim. 

The  boldest  will  shrink  away  ! 
(3,  when  the  night  falls,  and  roosts  the  fowl, 
Then,  then,  is  the  reign  6f  the  horned  owl  ! 


THE  CONSTRUCTION  OF  THE  STANZA. 


105 


A  rare  old  poem  is  "The  Ivy  Green,"  and  its  author  is 
no  less  a  personage  than  Charles  Dickens.  It  is  mixed 
anapestic  and  iambic  rhythm,  the  iambic  foot  prevailing  : 

0,  a  dainty  plant  is  the  ivy  green, 

That  creep€th  6'er  riiins  old  ! 
Of  right  ch6ice  food  fire  hTs  meals,  I  ween, 

In  his  cell  s6  lone  and  cold. 
The  walls  mtist  bS  crQmblSd,  thS  stones  decayed, 

T6  pleastire  his  dainty  whim  ; 
And  the  mouldering  diist  that  years  have  made, 

Is  a  merry  meal  f5r  him. 

Creeping  where  n6  life  is  seen, 

A  rare  61d  plant  is  the  ivy  green. 

No  less  loved  by  everyone  is  Mrs.  S.  J.  Hale.  All  school 
boys  have  read  "It  Snows,"  written  by  her.  The  poem  is 
but  a  glimpse  of  the  actual  reality  of  the  delight  of  the  youth 
at  a  sight  of  snow  and  the  rare  pleasure  of  the  winter  sports. 
It  is  anapestic  rhythm.      We  give  the  first  stanza  : 

"It  snows  !  "  cries  the  Scho61-b6y,  "  Htirrah  !  "  and  his  shout 

Is  ringing  throGgh  parlor  and  hall, 
While  swift  as  the  wing  5f  a  swallSw,  he's  Out, 

And  his  playmates  have  answered  his  call  ; 
It  makes  the  heart  leap  btit  t6  witness  their  joy  ; 

PrOud  wealth  has  n5  pleasQre,  I  trow. 
Like  the  rapttire  that  throbs  in  the  pulse  6f  the  boy, 

As  he  gathers  his  treasures  6f  snow; 
Then  lay  n6t  the  trappings  6f  gold  6n  thine  heirs, 

While  health,  and  the  riches  ef  nattire,  are  theirs. 

Harrison  Weir  is  the  author  of  ' '  Christmas  in  the 
Woods."  It  is  a  six  line  stanza  and  a  quatrain  combined. 
It  is  anapestic  rhythm.     We  select  the  first  stanza  : 


lo6  THE  ART  OF  POETRY. 

Fr6m  under  th6  boughs  In  the  snow-clad  wood 

Th6  merle  Snd  the  mavis  are  peeping, 
Alike  secure  fr5m  the  wind  find  the  flood, 
Yet  a  silent  Christmas  keeping. 

Still  happy  are  they. 

And  their  looks  are  gay, 
And  they  frisk  it  fr5m  bough  t6  bough  ; 

Since  berries  bright  red 

Hang  over  their  head, 
A  right  goodly  feast,  1  trow. 

"  Pack  Clouds  Away,"  a  poem  by  Thomas  Hey  wood,  in 
iambic  rhythm,  is  a  neat,  pretty,  dainty  poem  of  love.  We 
select  the  second  stanza: 

Wake  fr5m  thy  nest,  robin-redbreast ! 

Sing,  birds,  In  every  furr5vv  ; 
And  from  each  bill  let  miisic  shrill 

Give  my  fair  love  go6d-m6rr6w  ! 
Blackbird  and  thrush,  in  every  biish. 

Stare,  linnet,  and  c6ck-sparr6w, 
YoQ  pretty  elves,  among  yourselves, 

Sing  my  fair  love  go6d-m6rr5w. 
T5  give  my  love  go6d-m6rr6w. 
Sing,  birds,  in  every  fijrr5w. 

Another  fine  ten  line  poem  is  by  Thomas  Gray.  It  is 
entitled,  "  Ode  on  a  Distant  Prospect  of  Eaton  College." 
Ft  is  iambic  rhythm.     We  give  the  last  stanza  : 

T6  each  his  siifferings  :  all  are  men, 

condemned  alike  t5  groan  ; 
The  tender  for  another's  pain, 

The  tlnfeeling  for  his  own. 
Yet,  ah  !  why  should  they  know  their  fate. 
Since  s6rr5w  never  comes  to5  Ijite, 

And  happiness  to6  swiftl>'  flies? 
Thought  wotild  destroy  thfeir  piiradise. 
N5  more  ;  where  ignOrance  is  bliss, 

'Tls  follv  to  be  wise. 


THE  CONSTRUCTION  OF  THE  STANZA. 


THE  SONNET. 


107 


One  of  the  finest  forms  of  the  stanza  in  our  English  poetry 
is  the  Sonnet.  Borrowed  by  the  Italians  from  the  early 
Provencial  poets,  it  was  assiduously  cultivated  by  them,  and 
brought  to  a  high  state  of  perfection.  Many  beautiful 
sonnets  are  found  in  the  writings  of  Petrarch,  Ariosto,  Guido, 
and  Dante.  The  Sonnet  is  a  poetical  piece  containing  four- 
teen iambic  pentameter  lines.  It  is  generally  lyrical  in  its 
nature.  In  fact  it  is  the  primordial  form  of  modern  English 
lyric  poetry.  It  deals  with  one  idea  of  a  grave  nature, 
presented  under  various  aspects.  The  sonnet  was  intro- 
duced into  English  poetry  in  the  early  part  of  the  sixteenth 
century  by  the  Earl  of  Surrey  and  Sir  Thomas  Wyatt. 
The  Italian  sonnet  then  introduced  is  termed  the  correct  and 
strict  form.  After  the  introduction  of  the  sonnet  into  the 
English  from  the  Italians,  another  form  of  the  fourteen  line 
stanza  was  used  by  English  poets,  in  which  the  succession 
of  rhymes  was  different  in  order  from  that  authorized  by  the 
Italian  form.  To  distinguish  the  two  forms,  the  Italian  was 
termed  the  regular,  while  all  the  others  were  called  irregular, 
and  are  governed  by  separate  and  distinct  rules  or  laws  to 
be  used  in  the  formation  of  the  different  kinds  of  sonnets. 

The  sonnet  in  its  structure  is  more  elaborate  than  any 
form  of  the  stanza.  The  Italian  is  always  a  positive  and 
fixed  form  in  some  respects.  It  consists  of  two  divisions. 
A  major  and  a  minor  portion.  The  major  portion  consists 
of  eight  lines,  called  the  octave  ;  the  minor  portion  consists 
of  six  lines,  called  the  sestette.  The  octave  is  composed  of 
two  quatrains.  The  quatrains  are  similar  in  form  and  con- 
struction. The  first  and  fourth  lines  of  each  quatrain  rhyme 
with  each  other,  and  the  second  and  third  lines  rhyme. 
The  octave,  however,  has  but  two  rhymes,  for  the  first  and 


I08  THE  ART  OF  POETRY. 

fourth  lines  of  the  first  quatrain  rhyme  with  the  first  and 
fourth  lines  of  the  second  quatrain  ;  the  same  is  true  of  the 
second  and  third  lines  of  both  quatrains.  The  octave  is 
joined  to  the  sestette  by  a  close  grammatical  structure. 
The  octave  is  a  fixed  form. 

In  the  construction  of  the  sestette  of  the  Italian  form  of 
the  sonnet,  the  first  and  fourth,  the  second  and  fifth,  the 
third  and  sixth  lines  rhyme  ;  or,  the  first,  third  and  fifth 
rhyme  with  the  second,  fourth  and  sixth  of  the  sestette.  All 
other  forms  of  the  sonnet  are  not  termed  pure.  Our  best 
poets  have  used  the  sonnet  to  pour  forth  their  most 
sublime  thoughts  expressive  of  love,  friendship,  praise, 
adoration,  grief  and  sorrow.  It  seems  peculiarly  adopted 
as  a  form  to  express  the  most  intense  feeUngs  of  the  human 
mind,  and  to  enable  the  writer  to  give  vent  to  the  finer 
feelings  and  thoughts. 

A  beautiful  sonnet  by  Richard  Watson  Gilder  expresses 
in  admirable  language  the  sonnet  : 


WHAT  IS  A  SONNET? 

MAJOR    PORTION  — FIRST   QUATRAIN. 

What  is  a  sonnet?     'Tis  a  pearly  shell 
That  murmQrs  of  the  far-6ff  mumiuring  sea  ; 
A  preciotls  jewel  carved  m6st  curioQsly  ; 

It  is  a  little  pictOre  painted  well 

MAJOR    PORTION — SECOND   QUATRAIN. 

What  IS  a  sonnet?  'Tis  the  tear  that  fell 
Fr6m  a  great  poet's  hidden  ectasy ; 
A  two-edged  sword,  a  star,  a  song — ah  nie  ! 

sometimes  a  heav5?-tollTng  funeral  bell. 


THE  CONSTRUCTION  OF  THE  STANZA. 


MINOR   PORTION. 


109 


This  was  thfi  flame  thSt  shook  with  Dantfi's  breath, 
The  solemn  orgSn  whgreon  Milt6n  played, 

And  the  clfiar  glass  whgre  Shakespeare's  shad5w  falls  ; 
A  sea  thts  is — beware,  wh5  venttireth  ! 
F6r  like  3  fiord  thS  narr6w  floor  is  laid 
Defip  as  mid-oceSn  to  she6r  mountain  walls. 


John  Milton  thus  describes  his  own  bhndness  in  a  sonnet 
of  the  regular  model  : 


ON  HIS  BLINDNESS. 
To  Cyriack  Skinner. 

OCTAVE. 

When  I  c6nsid6r  how  my  light  is  spent 

fire  half  my  days,  in  this  dSrk  world  Snd  wide. 
And  that  6ne  talSnt,  which  is  death  t5  hide, 

L6dged  with  mS  useless,  though  my  soul  m6re  bent 

T6  serve  therewith  my  Makgr,  and  present 
My  true  account,  16st  He,  returning,  chide  ; 
"D6th  God  exact  dSy-labSr,  light  denied?" 

I  fondly  ask.    Btit  Patience,  to  prevent 

SESTETTE. 

That  murmQr  soon  replies,   "  G6d  doth  n6t  need 
Either  mftn's  work,  5r  his  6wn  gifts  ;  wh6  best 
Bear  his  mild  yoke,  they  serve  him  best.      His  state 
Is  kingly  ;  thousands  at  his  bidding  speed. 
And  post  6'er  land  find  oceSn  without  rest ; 
They  alstt  serve  wh5  only  stand  Snd  wait !  " 


I  I  o  THE  A  R  T  OF  POE  TR  } ". 

Longfellow  has  written  many  exquisitely  charming  sonnets. 
None  better  than,    "  A  Summer  Day  by  the  Sea  : "' 

The  sun  is  set ;  Snd  in  hts  lat&t  beams 

Y6n  little  cloud  6f  ash^n  gray  and  gold, 

Slowly  tlpon  the  amber  air  Gnrolled, 
The  falling  mantle  of  the  Prophet  seems. 
Fr6m  the  dim  headlands  many  a  lighth6use  gleams, 

The  street-lamps  of  the  ocean  ;  and  behold, 

O'erhead  the  banners  of  the  night  tinfold  ; 
The  day  hath  passed  into  the  land  5f  dreams. 
0  summer  day,  beside  the  joyoOs  sea  ! 

(y  summer  day,  s6  wonderfiil  and  white, 
S6  full  6f  gladness  and  s6  full  6f  pain  ! 
FOrever  and  fbrever  shalt  th6u  be 

T6  some  the  gravest5ne  of  a  dead  delight, 
T6  some  the  landmark  of  a  new  d6main 


The  following  by  Ella  Wheeler  Wilcox  is  a  good  example 
of  the  sonnet : 

Methinks  ofttimes  my  heart  is  like  sOme  beC-, 
That  goes  fSrth  through  the  summer  day  and  sings. 
And  gathers  honey  from  all  growing  things 

In  garden  plot,  6r  on  the  clover  leaf 

When  the  15ng  afternoon  gr6ws  late,  Snd  she 
WoQld  seek  her  hive,  she  cannot  lift  her  wings, 
S6  heavily  the  too  sweet  burden  clings, 

Fr6m  which  she  would  n6t,  and  yet  would,  fly  free. 

S6  with  my  full  f5nd  heart ;  f5r  when  it  tries 
T6  lift  itself  t6  peace-cr6wned  heights  above 
The  c6mm6n  way  where  countless  feet  have  trod, 

L6  !  then,  this  burden  of  dear  human  ties, 
This  growing  weight  5f  precioQs  earthly  love. 
Binds  down  the  spirit  that  wotlld  soar  t6  God. 


THE  CONSTRUCTION  OF  THE  STANZA.  m 

The  regular  model  is  varied  in  the  sestette.  Below  we 
give  forms  of  these  variations.  ' '  Echo  and  Silence, "  is  an 
excellent  sonnet : 

In  eddying  course,  whfin  leaves  b^gan  t6  fly, 

And  AutQmn  in  her  lap  th6  store  t6  strew, 

As  'mid  wild  scenes  I  chanced  th6  Muse  t6  woo, 
Throtigh  glens  tintrod,  Snd  woods  that  frowned  fin  high, 
Tw6  sleeping  nymphs  with  wondering  mute  1  spy  ! 

And,  16,  she's  gone — in  robe  6f  dark-gregn  hue, 

'TwSs  Ech6  from  hSr  sistSr  Silence  flew, 
F6r  quick  thS  hunter's  horn  r6sound6d  to  thS  sky  ! 
In  shade  affrighted  SilSnce  melts  away. 

N6t  so  her  sister.     Hark  !  f6r  onward  still. 
With  far-heard  step,  she  takes  her  listeiiing  way. 

Bounding  fr6m  rock  t6  rock,  and  hill  t6  hill. 
Ah,  mark  the  merry  maid  in  mockftll  play 

WUh  thousand  mimic  tones  the  laughing  forest  fill ! 

Samuel  Ef^erton  Brydges. 

Another  elegant  sonnet  is: 

ON  THE  GRASSHOPPER  AND  CRICKET. 

The  poetry  6f  earth  is  never  dead  : 

When  all  the  birds  are  faint  with  the  h5t  sun. 
And  hide  in  cooling  trees,  a  voice  will  run 

Fr6m  hedge  t6  hedge  about  the  new-m6vvn  mead, 

That  is  the  grassh6pper's — he  takes  the  lead 
In  summer  luxury, — he  has  never  done 
With  his  delights ;  f5r,  when  tired  out  with  fun. 

He  rests  at  ease  beneath  s5me  pleasant  weed. 

The  poetry  6f  earth  is  ceasing  never  : 
On  a  I6ne  winter  evening  when  the  frost 

Has  wrought  a  silence,  from  the  stove  there  shrills 

The  cricket's  song,  in  warmth  increasing  ever. 
And  seems,  t5  one  in  drowsiness  half  lost. 
The  grasshopper's  among  s5me  grassy  hills. 

John  Keats. 


1 1  2  THE  ART  OF  POE TR  V. 

William  Shakespeare  deigned  lo  trangress  the  laws  of  the 
Italian  model  and  mold  one  of  his  own.  Can  it  not  be  said 
what  was  fit  for  Shakespeare's  use  is  all  sufficient  for  any 
person  ?  These  sonnets,  one  hundred  fifty-four  in  number, 
are  wonderful  in  composition  and  merit.  They  are  devoted 
to  friendship  and  love.  Their  form  consists  of  three 
quatrains  and  a  couplet.  Many  of  the  best  poets  have 
written  sonnets  on  the  Shakesperian  model  : 

THE  APPROACH   OF  AGE. 

When  I  d6  count  th6  clock  that  tellsjhg  time, 

And  see  th6  brave  day  sunk  in  hideotis  night ; 
Whgn  I  behold  the  vi51et  pSst  prime, 

And  sable  curls  all  silvered  o'er  with  white  ; 
When  lofty  trees  I  see  barren  6f  leaves. 

Which  erst  fr5m  heat  did  can5py  the  herd, 
And  summer's  green  all  girded  up  in  sheaves, 

B6rne  on  the  bier  with  white  and  bristly  beard  ; 
Then  of  thy  beauty  do  1  questiSn  make. 

That  thou  among  the  wastes  6f  time  niQst  go, 
Since  sweets  and  beauties  do  themselves  fSrsake, 

And  die  as  fast  as  they  see  others  grow  ; 
And  nothing  'gainst  Time's  scylhe  can  make  defence, 
save  breed,  t5  brave  him  when  he  takes  thee  hence. 

William  Shakespeare. 

Mr.  Frederick  Locker- Lampson,  an  English  poet,  has 
written  a  sonnet  fashioned  after  the  Shakesperian  model. 
It  is  entitled,    "  Love,  Time  and  Death  :  " 

Ah  me,  dread  friends  Qf  mine — L6ve,  Time  and  Death  ! 

Sweet  Love,  wh6  came  t6  me  6n  sheeny  wing, 
And  gave  her  to  my  arms — her  lips,  her  breath, 

And  all  her  golden  ringlets  clustering  ; 
And  Time,  wh6  gfithers  in  the  flying  years. 

He  gave  me  all — bQt  where  is  all  he  gave  ? 
He  took  my  Love  and  left  me  barren  tears  ; 

Weary  and  lone,  I  foll5w  to  the  grave. 


THE  CONSTRUCTION  OF  THE  STANZA.  113 

There  Death  will  end  thts  visi6n  half  divine, 
wan  Death,  wh6  waits  in  shad6w  evermore, 

And  silent  ere  h6  gave  thS  sudden  sign  ; 
Oh,  gently  lead  mS  throQgh  thy  narr6w  door, 

Th6u  gentle  Death,  thCu  triistiest  friend  5f  mine. 
Ah  me,  fbr  Love  wtll  Death  my  Love  restore  ? 

A  fine  sonnet  after  the  same  model  is  by  Thomas  Hood  : 

FALSE  POETS  AND  TRUE. 

Lo5k  how  the  lark  s6ars  QpwSrd  and  is  gone. 

Turning  a  spirit  as  he  nears  the  sky  ! 
His  voice  is  heard,  btit  body  there  is  none 

T6  fix  the  vague  excursiSns  of  the  eye. 
S6  poets'  songs  are  with  tis,  though  they  die 

Obscured  and  hid  by  death's  6blivioQs  shroud, 
And  earth  inherits  the  rich  mel5dy. 

Like  raining  music  from  the  morning  cloud. 
Yet,  few  there  be  wh5  pipe  s5  sweet  and  loud, 

Their  voices  reach  tis  throiigh  the  lapse  6f  space  ; 
The  noisy  day  is  deafened  by  a  crowd 

Of  undistinguished  birds,  a  twittering  race  ; 
BQt  only  lark  and  nightingale  fSrlorn 
Fill  up  the  silences  6f  night  and  morn. 

A  granddaughter  of  the  famous  orator,  Richard  Brinsley 
Sheridan,  herself  famous  as  a  poetess  of  extraordinary  merit, 
pays  this  compliment  to  her  loved  treasures,  in  a  sonnet  : 

TO    MV   BOOKS. 

Silent  c6mpani6ns  of  the  lonelj'  hour. 

Friends  who  can  never  alter  or  f5rsake. 
Wh6  for  inconstant  roving  have  n6  power. 

And  all  neglect,  perforce,  mfist  calmly  take, — 
Let  me  return  t6  yoii ;  this  turmSil  ending 

Which  worldly  cares  have  in  my  spirit  wrought. 
And,  o'er  yoQr  old  familiar  pages  bending. 

Refresh  mj?  mind  with  many  a  tranquil  thought. 


TTH  happj^  meeting  there,  frOm  time  t6  time, 

Fancies,  the  audibig  ech5  of  my  own, 
'T  will  be  like  hearing  in  a  foreign  clime 

My  native  language  spoke  in  friendly  tone, 
And  with  a  sort  6f  welcome  I  shall  dwell 
On  these,  my  unripe  musings,  told  s6  well. 

Caroline  Elizabeth  Norton. 


William  Lisle  Bowles  furnishes  a  fine  sonnet  on   the  river 
Rhine.     Mr.  Bowles  had  great  ability  as  a  sonneteer  : 

THE    RIVER    RHINE. 

'Twas  morn,  and  beauteoQs  on  thfe  mountain's  brow 
[HQng  with  the  beamy  clusters  of  the  vine] 
Streamed  the  blQe  light,  when  on  the  sparkling  Rhine 

we  bounded,  and  the  white  waves  round  the  prow 

In  murmGrs  parted.     Varying  as  we  go, 
L6,  the  wo6ds  open,  and  the  rocks  retire, 
Some  convent's  ancient  walls  Or  glistening  spire 

'Mid  the  bright  landscape's  track  Qnfolding  slow. 

Here  dark,  with  furrOwed  aspect,  like  despair, 
Frowns  the  bleak  cliff;  there  on  the  woodland's  side 
The  shadowy  sunshine  pours  its  streaming  tide  ; 

While  Hope,  enchanted  with  the  scene  s6  fair, 
WoOid  wish  t5  linger  many  a  summer's  day, 
N6r  heed  h6w  fast  the  prospect  winds  away. 


Matthew  Arnold's  sonnet  of  '  Quiet  Work"  is  a  lesson 
in  itself  It  is  not  strictly  a  sonnet  of  the  regular  type,  the 
difference,  however,  is  very  slight.  The  second  and  third 
lines  of  the  first  and  second  quatrains  do  not  rhyme  together, 
making  more  than  two  rhymes  in  the  octave.  Arnold's 
sonnets,  twenty-three  in  number,  are  all  first-class,  but  none 
of  them  strictly  pure  : 


Tin-:  CONSTRUCTION  OF  THE  STANZA. 
QUIET   WORK. 

One  less6n,  Nat&re,  let  m6  learn  6f  thee, 
One  less6n  which  \\\  every  wind  is  blown, 
One  less5n  of  tw6  diities  kept  St  one 

Throtigh  the  15ud  world  prSclaim  their  enmtty, 

Of  toil  tinsev^red  from  tranquility  ; 
Of  lab5r  that  in  lasting  friiit  Outgrows 
Far  noisier  schemes,  accomplished  in  rfipose, 

To5  great  f5r  hastS,  to6  high  f6r  rivalry. 

Y6s,  while  6n  earth  a  thousand  disc6rds  ring, 
Man's  senseless  upr6ar  mingling  with  his  toil, 
Still  do  thy  qui6t  ministers  m6ve  on. 

Their  glorioQs  tasks  in  silSnce  perfecting  ; 
Still  working,  blaming  still  5ur  vain  ttirmoil, 
Labftrers  that  shall  n6t  fail,  wh6n  man  is  gone. 


One  of  the  finest  sonnets  in  our  language  is  entitled  : 


NIGHT. 

Mysterious  Night !  whSn  our  first  parSnt  knew 
The6  from  rfiport  divine,  and  heard  thy  name. 
Did  he  n5t  tremble  for  this  lovely  frame, — 

This  glorioQs  can5py  6f  light  and  bliie  ? 

Yet  'neath  a  curtain  of  transliJcent  dew, 

Bathed  in  the  rays  of  the  great  setting  flame, 
Hespertis,  with  the  host  6f  heaven  came, 

And  15  !  creation  widened  in  man's  view. 

Wh6  could  have  thought  siich  darkness  lay  c6ncealed 
Within  thy  beams,  0  Sun  !  6r  who  could  find, 

Whilst  fly  and  leaf  and  insect  stood  revealed, 
That  to  stich  countless  orbs  th6u  mad'st  Qs  blind  ! 

Why  do  we  then  sh&n  death  with  anxious  strife  ! 

If  light  can  thus  deceive,  wheref6re  n5t  life  ? 

Joseph  Blanco  White. 


"5 


1 16  THE  AR  T  OF  POE  TR  Y. 

THE  BALLADE. 

The  French  ballade  is  radically  different  from  the  English 
ballad.  Of  late  years  it  has  come  into  general  use,  and  it 
is  now  fairly  well  known  to  lovers  of  the  poetic  art.  The 
ballade  was  attempted  in  England  as  early  as  the  sonnet, 
more  than  three-hundred  years  ago,  but  it  did  not  succeed. 
The  ballade  consists  of  three  stanzas  and  a  half  stanza,  clept 
an  envoy,  addressed  to  some  prince  or  power,  tide  or 
theme.  The  arrangement  of  the  first  stanza  is  repeated  in 
the  others  ;  and  the  burden  or  refrain  concludes  all  three 
stanzas,  as  well  as  the  envoy.  Eight  line  stanzas  using 
three  rhymes  are  generally  used  ;  but  ten  line  stanzas  using 
four  rhymes  are  of  frequent  occurrence,  and  permissible. 
There  is  also  a  variety  of  the  ballade  known  as  the  double 
ballade.  It  is  simply  a  ballade  of  six  stanzas  of  either  eight 
or  ten  lines,  repeating  the  arrangement '  of  the  first  stanza, 
and  the  ballade  may  conclude  with  or  without  an  envoy,  as 
the  writer  may  desire. 

Then  we  have  still  another  form  of  the  ballade.  It  is  a 
ballade  with  a  double  refrain.  The  stanzas  are  always  of 
but  eight  lines  ;  and  the  fourth  and  eighth  lines  of  the  first 
stanza  are  repeated  in  the  fourth  and  eighth  lines  of  the 
other  stanzas,  while  the  envoy  consists  of  two  couplets,  the 
first  refrain  occurring  in  the  second  line,  and  the  second 
refrain  occurring  in  the  fourth  line  of  the  envoy. 


BALLADE   OF   BLUE   CHINA. 

There's  3  joy  without  canker  6r  cark, 
There's  a  pleasQre  eternally  new, 

'TTs  to  glote  On  the  glaze  and  the  mark 
Of  china  that's  ancient  and  blue  ; 


THE  CONSTRUCTION  OF  THE  STANZA.  117 

Onchipped  all  the  centtiries  through 
It  has  passed,  since  th6  chime  6f  it  rang, 

And  thfey  fashiSned  Jt,  figtire  and  hue. 
In  the  reign  6f  th^  EmpSrSr  Hwang. 

These  drag5ns  (their  tails,  yoQ  rSmark, 

Int6  bunches  6f  gillyflowers  grew) — 
When  Noah  came  out  6f  the  ark, 

Did  these  lie  in  wait  f6r  his  crew  ? 
They  snorted,  they  snapped,  Snd  they  slew, 

They  were  mighty  5f  fin  and  6f  fang, 
And  their  portraits  Celestials  drew 

In  the  reign  6f  the  Emper5r  Hwang. 

Here's  a  pot  with  a  cot  in  a  park. 

In  a  park  where  the  peach-bl6ss5ms  blew. 
Where  the  lovers  eloped  in  the  dark, 

Lived,  died,  and  were  changed  int6  two 
Bright  birds  that  eternally  flew 

ThroQgh  the  boughs  6f  the  May,  as  they  sang  ; 
'Tis  a  tale  was  undoubtedly  true 

In  the  reign  6f  the  EmperOr  Hwang. 

ENVOY. 

C6me,  snarl  at  my  ecstasies,  do, 

Kind  critic,  yoQr  "tongue  has  a  tang  " 
Btit — a  sage  never  heeded  a  shrew 

In  the  reign  5f  the  EmperOr  Hwang. 

Andrew  Lang. 


THE   BALLADE   OF    PROSE   AND   RHYME. 

(ballade  a  double  refrain). 

When  the  ways  are  heavy  with  mire  and  rut, 
In  N6vember  fogs,  in  December  snows. 

When  the  North  Wind  howls  and  the  doors  are  shut 
There  is  place  Snd  enough  fbr  the  pains  6f  prose ; 


1 1 8  THE  ART  OF  FOE TR  Y. 

BOt  whenever  3  scent  fr5m  th6  whitethorn  blows, 
And  the  jasmine-stars  St  th6  casement  climb, 

And  a  Rosalind-face  St  the  lattice  shows, 
Th6n  hey  1—  f6r  th6  ripple  6f  laughing  rhyme  ! 

Wh6n  the  brain  g^ts  dry  Ss  Sn  empty  nut, 

Whfin  the  reas5n  stands  6n  its  squarfist  toes, 
When  the  mind  (like  a  beard)  hSs  S  "formal  cut," — 

There  is  place  and  enough  fSr  the  pains  6f  prose  ; 
BQt  whenever  the  May-blo6d  stirs  and  glows, 

And  the  young  year  draws  t5  the  "  golden  prime," 
And  Sir  RomeO  sticks  in  his  ear  a  rose, — 

Then  hey  ! — fbr  the  ripple  6f  laughing  rhyme  ! 

In  a  theme  where  the  thoughts  have  a  pedant  striit, 

In  a  changing  quarrel  5f  "Ayes  "  and  "  Noes," 
In  a  starched  pr6cessi5n  6f  "If"  and  "  But," — 

There  is  place  and  enough  f5r  the  pains  6f  prose  ; 
BOt  whenever  a  soft  glance  softer  grows 

And  the  light  hSurs  dance  t6  the  trysting-time, 
And  the  secret  is  told  that  "  no  6ne  knows," — 

Then  hey  !  fbr  the  ripple  6f  laughing  rhyme  ! 

ENVOY. 

In  the  w6rk-a-day  world, — fQr  its  needs  and  woes, 
There  is  place  and  enough  f5r  the  pains  5f  prose; 

BOt  whenever  the  May-bells  clash  and  chime, 
Then  hey  !  for  the  ripple  6f  laughing  rhyme  ! 

Austin  Dobson. 

THE  CHANT  ROYAL. 

Another  variation  of  the  ballade  is  known  as  the  Chant 
Royal.  It  is  a  ballade  of  five  stanzas  of  eleven  lines,  with 
an  envoy  of  five  lines.  It  is  not,  however,  a  practical  form 
of  verse  and  is  difficult  of  construction.  We  give  below  a 
very  excellent  Chant  Royal  by  Mr.  Austin  Dobson  : 


THE  CONSTRUCTION  OF  THE  STANZA. 
THE  DANCE   OF   DEATH. 

(chant  ROVAL,   after   HOLBEIN). 

^^ Contra  vhn  Mortis 
Non  est  Medicamen  in  hortisJ" 
HS  is  th^  despSts'  Desp6t.     All  mtist  bide, 

Latfir  6r  so5n,  thS  message  of  his  might ; 
PrincSs  Snd  potentates  thgir  heads  mttst  hide, 

Touched  by  thS  awf&l  sigil  of  his  right ; 
B-side  the  KaisSr  he  St  eve  dSth  wait 
And  pours  S  poti6n  in  his  ciip  5f  state  ; 
The  stately  Queen  his  bidding  miist  6bey, 
N6  keen-eyed  Cardinal  shall  him  Sffray  ; 

And  to  the  Dame  that  wantSneth  he  saith — 
"  Let  be,  Sweetheart,  t5 junket  and  t5  play." 

There  is  n6  king  m6re  terrible  than  Death. 

The  liisty  Lord,  rejoicing  in  his  pride, 

He  draweth  down  ;  before  the  armed  Knight 
With  jingling  bridal-rein  he  still  d5th  ride  ; 

He  crosseth  the  strong  Captain  in  the  fight ; 
He  beckSns  the  grave  Elder  from  debate  ; 
He  hails  the  Abb5t  by  his  shaven  pate, 
N6r  for  the  Abbess'  wailing  will  delay  ; 
N6  brawling  Mendicant  shall  say  him  nay  ; 

£'en  to  the  pyx  the  Priest  he  follSweth, 
N6r  can  the  Leech  his  chilling  finger  stay. 

There  is  n6  king  m6re  terrible  than  Death. 

All  things  mQst  bow  t5  him.     And  woe  betide 

The  Wine-bibber — the  Roysterer  by  night ; 
Him  the  feast-master  many  bouts  defied, 

Him  'twixt  the  pledging  and  the  ciip  shall  smite 
W6e  to  the  Lender  at  QsurioGs  rate. 
The  hard  Rich  Man,  the  hireling  AdvScate  ; 
W6e  to  the  Jiidge  that  selleth  right  f6r  pay  ; 
W6e  to  the  thief  that  like  a  beast  6f  prey 

With  creeping  tread  the  traveler  harryeth  : — 
These,  in  their  sin,  the  sudden  sword  shall  slay. 

There  is  n6  king  m6re  terrible  than  Death. 


119 


THE  ART  OF  POETR  Y. 

H6  halh  n5  pity, — nor  will  be  denied, 

When  the  I6w  hearth  is  garnished  find  bright, 
Grimly  he  flingeth  the  dim  portal  wide, 

And  steals  the  Infant  In  the  Mother's  sight ; 
H6  hath  n6  pity  for  the  scorned  5f  fate  : — 
He  spares  n6t  Lazarus  lying  at  the  gate, 
NSy,  nor  the  Blind  that  stQmbleth  as  he  may  ; 
Nay,  the  tired  Ploughman, — at  the  sinking  ray, 

In  the  last  furrSvv, — feels  an  icy  breath, 
And  knows  a  hand  hath  turned  the  team  astray 

There  is  n6  king  mSre  terrible  than  Deatli. 

He  hath  n6  pity.     For  the  new-made  Bride, 

Blithe  with  the  promise  of  her  life's  delight, 
That  wanders  gladly  by  her  Husband's  side. 

He  with  the  clatter  of  his  drum  dOth  fright ; 
He  scares  the  Virgin  at  the  Convent  grate ; 
The  maid  half-won,  the  Lover  passi6nate  ; 
He  hath  n6  grace  f6r  weakness  and  decay  : 
The  tender  Wife,  the  Widftw  bent  and  gray, 

The  feeble  Sire  wh5se  footstep  faltereth, — 
All  these  he  leadeth  by  the  lonely  way — 

There  is  n5  king  m5re  terrible  than  Death. 


Yotith  for  wh6se  ear  and  monishing,  6f  late 

1  sang  6f  Prodigals  and  lost  estate. 

Have  thou  thy  joy  6f  living  and  be  gay  ; 

BQt  know  n5t  less  that  there  niQst  come  a  day, — 

Aye,  and  perchance  S'en  now  it  hasteneth, — 
When  thine  6wn  heart  shall  speak  t6  thee  and  say, — 

There  is  n6  king  m5re  terrible  than  Death. 

THE  RONDEAU. 

The  rondeau  is  a  form  of  verse  introduced  from  the 
French  by  the  EngHsh.  Its  form  dates  back  to  the  four- 
teenth   century.      The    rondeau    is    composed    of  thirteen 


THE  CONSTRUCTION  OF  THE  STANZA.  12  t 

verses  or  lines,  of  which  eight  have  one  rhyme  and  five 
another.  These  lines  are  divided  in  three  unequal  strophes  ; 
the  four  first  words  of  the  first  line  serve  as  the  refrain,  and 
occur  after  the  eighth  and  thirteenth  lines.  It  is  a  delicate 
form  of  poetry  and  capable  of  the  highest  degree  of  excel- 
lence and  finish.  Many  delight  to  use  it  for  that  reason, 
and  have  succeeded  in  producing  poems  of  rare  beauty. 
The  practice  of  new  meters  and  the  study  of  new  forms  aids 
the  poet  and  enables  him  to  rise  higher  in  his  art.  Form 
and  precision  are  necessary  to  a  high  degree  of  excellence. 
The  rondeau  in  its  true  type,  has  a  fixed  exotic  form, 
susceptible  of  a  highly  English  polish.  Lope  de  Vega 
and  Hurtado  de  Mendoza  wrote  sonnets  on  sonnet  making; 
Voiture  imitated  them  as  regards  the  rondeau.  Here  is  a 
paraphrase  of  Voiture  : 


YoQ  bid  m6  try,  BlQe  Eyes,  to  write 

A  rondeati.     What ! — f5rthwlth  ? — t6night  ? 
Reflect.     S6me  skill  \  have,  'tis  true  ; — 
BQt  thirteen  lines  ! — Snd  rhymed  6n  two  ! 

"  Rfifrain,"  Ss  well.     Ah,  hapless  plight ! 

Still,  thSre  Sre  five  lines, — ranged  Sright. 

Thgse  Gallic  bonds,  1  feared,  wofild  fright 
Mn?  easy  Muse.     Thgy  did,  till  you — 
Yoii  bid  me  trv  ! 


That  makes  them  eight.     The  port's  in  sight ; 

'Tis  all  because  yoflr  eyes  Sre  bright ! 
N5wjust  S  pair  t6  end  in  "00," — 
When  maids  c6mmand,  wh.1t  can't  we  do  ! 

Behold! — the  rondeati,  tastefQl,  light, 
Yofi  bid  me  try  ! 


I  22  THE  AK  T  OF  FOE  TF  V. 

TO   A   JUNE    ROSE. 

0  royal  Rose  !  th6  RomSn  dressed 
HTs  feast  with  thee  ;  thy  petals  pressed 
AQgustan  brows ;  thine  6d6r  fine, 
Mixed  with  the  three-times  mingled  wine, 
Lent  the  I5ng  Thracian  draught  its  zest. 
What  marvgl  then,  if  host  and  guest, 
By  Song,  by  Joy,  by  Thee  caressed, 
Half-trembled  on  the  half-divine, 
6  royal  Rose ! 

And  yet — and  yet — I  love  theS  best 
In  our  61d  gardens  of  the  West, 
Whether  about  my  thatch  th6u  twine, 
C)r  Hers,  that  brown-eyed  maid  6f  mine, 
Wh6  lulls  thee  on  her  lawny  breast, 
C)  royal  Rose  ! 

Ausfiti  Dobson. 


FOR    MY    DEAR    LOVE. 

(an  opal.) 

F5r  my  dear  love  I  long  t5  bring 
S5me  rare  and  dainty  offering. 

I'll  steal  a  rainbow  from  the  sky 

T6  paint  my  joy  when  she  is  nigh  ; 
The  fairness  of  her  form  t6  sing, 
I'll  mount  me  on  a  poet's  wing  ; 
Throtlgh  winter  frost,  each  flower  6f  spring 

Shall  speak  and  tell  her  how  I  sigh 
F6r  my  dear  love. 

Nay,  nay,  this  is  bQt  loitering  ; 
See,  here,  a  tiny,  rounded  thing, 
Where  all  sweet  shades  impris5ned  lie, 
Her  blush,  the  flowers,  the  rainbSw  sky  ; 
N6w,  I  will  set  this  in  a  ring, 
F6r  my  dear  love. 
Margaret B.  Logan — "The  Magazine  of  Poetry." 


THE  CONSTRUCTION^  OF  THE  STANZA.  123 

THE  RONDEL. 

The  rondel  is  a  poem,  in  two  rhymes,  containing  fourteen 
lines.  The  refrain  of  the  rondel  is  but  a  repetition  of  the 
first  and  second  lines  as  the  seventh  and  eighth,  and  again 
as  the  thirteenth  and  fourteenth.  It  is  the  original  form  of 
the  rondeau. 

THE   WANDERER. 

L6ve  comes  back  to  his  vacSnt  dwelling, — 
Th6  old,  5ld  Love  that  w6  knew  6f  yore  ! 
W6  see  him  stand  by  thg  opSn  door. 

With  his  great  eyes  sad,  and  his  b6s6m  swelling. 

H6  makes  as  though  in  6ur  arms  repelling, 

HS  fain  woGld  lie  as  hg  lay  before  ; — 
LOve  comes  back  to  his  vacant  dwelling. — 

Thg  old,  61d  Love  that  wg  knew  6f  yore  ! 

Ah,  who  shall  help  tis  fr6m  ov6r-telling 

That  sweet  f6rg6ttgn,  fdrbiddfin  lore  ! 

fi'en  as  w6  doubt  in  6ur  heart  6nce  more, 
With  a  rush  6f  tears  t6  6ur  eyelids  welling, 
L6ve  comes  back  to  his  vacant  dwelling. 

Austin  Dobson. 


These  many  years  since  we  b6gan  t6  be. 
What  have  th6  gods  d6ne  with  Qs  ?  what  with  me  ? 
What  with  my  love?  They  have  shown  me  fates  and  fears, 
Harsh  springs,  and  fountains  bitterer  than  the  sea. 
Grief  a  fixed  star,  and  joy  a  vane  that  veers. 
These  many  years. 

With  her,  my  love,  with  her  have  they  d6ne  well  ? 
Bfit  who  shall  answer  for  her?  who  shall  tell 
Sweet  things  6r  sad,  siich  things  as  no  man  hears  ? 
May  no  tears  fall  ;  if  no  tears  ever  fell, 
Fr6m  eyes  m6re  dear  t6  me  than  starriest  spheres 
These  many  years 


1  24  THE  ART  OF  POETR  Y 

Bat  if  tSars  evfir  touched,  f6r  any  grief, 
Th6se  eyelids  folded  like  a  whlte-r5se  leaf, 
DeSp  double  shells  wh6re  through  the  eye-fl5wer  peers, 
Let  them  weSp  once  m5re  only,  sweet  Snd  brief. 
Brief  tears  Snd  bright,  fbr  one  wh6  gave  her  tears 
These  many  years. 

A.  C.  Swinburne. 


THE  ROUNDEL. 

Another  variation  of  the  rondeau  is  the  Roundel.  It  is 
formed  of  three  stanzas  of  three  Hues  each,  containing-  only 
two  rhymes.  A  refrain  composed  of  the  first  four  or  five 
words  or  syllables  of  the  first  line  constituting  the  refrain  or 
burden,  which  is  at  the  end  of  both  the  first  and  third 
stanzas  : 

THE   ROUNDEL. 

A  Roundel  IS  wrought  Ss  S  ring  6r  i.  star-bright  sphere, 

With  craft  6f  delight  Snd  with  cunning  6f  sound  Qnsought, 
ThSt  the  heart  6f  the  hearer  may  smile  if  t6  pleasOre  his  ear 
A  roundel  is  wrought. 

Its  jewel  6f  music  is  carven  5f  all  5r  6f  aught — 

L6ve,  laughter  5r  mourning — remembrance  6f  raptfire  6r  fear — 
That  fancy  may  f ashi5n  t6  hang  in  the  ear  5f  thought. 

As  a  bird's  quick  song  rQns  round,  and  the  hearts  in  Qs  hear — 

Pause  answers  t6  pause,  and  again  the  same  strain  caught 
S6  moves  the  device  whence,  round  as  a  pearl  6r  tear, 
A  roundel  is  wrought. 

A.  C.  Swinburne. 

THE  VILLANELLE. 

The  villanelle  is  still  another  form  of  French  poetry 
introduced  and  adopted  by  our   English   writers.      It    is    a 


THE  CONSTRUCTION  OF  THE  STANZA.  125 

poem  of  but  two  rhymes  written  in  tercets.  The  first  and 
third  Hnes  of  the  first  stanza  alternating  as  the  third  hne  in 
each  successive  stanza,  and  at  the  close  forming  a   couplet. 

VILLANELLE. 

(to   M.  JOSEPH    BOULMIER,  AUTHOR   OF    "  LES   VILLANELLES." ) 

Vilianelle,  why  Srt  th6u  mute  ? 

Hath  thS  singer  ceased  t6  sing  ? 
Hath  the  Master  lost  his  lute  ? 

Many  a  pipe  find  scrannel  flute 

On  thS  breeze  thfiir  disc6rds  fling  ; 
VillSnell6,  why  Srt  tMu  mute  ? 

Sound  6f  tumult  and  dispute, 

Noise  6f  war  thS  echSes  bring  ; 
Hath  the  Master  lost  his  lute  ? 

Once  he  sang  6f  bud  find  shoot 

In  the  seas6n  of  the  Spring  ; 

Villanelle,  why  Srt  th6u  mute? 

Fading  leaf  and  falling  fruit 

Say,   "  The  year  is  on  the  wing, 
Hath  the  Master  lost  his  lute  ?  " 

Ere  the  axe  lie  at  the  root, 

Ere  the  winter  come  Ss  king, 
Villanelle,  why  art  th6u  mute  ? 
Hath  the  Master  lost  his  lute? 

Andrew  Lang. 

FOR   A   COPY   OF   THEOCRITUS. 

(villanelle.) 

0  Singer  6f  the  field  and  fold, 

Theocritus  !     Pan's  pipe  was  thine — 
Thine  was  the  happier  Age  5f  Gold. 


126  'tm"^  'i^T  OF  POETRY. 

F6r  thee  thS  scent  6f  new-turned  nioultl. 

Th6  bee-hives  and  thS  murmuring  pine, 
6  Slnggr  of  the  field  Snd  fold  ! 

Th6u  sang'st  th^  simple  feasts  5f  old, — 

The  beechen  bowl  made  glad  with  wine — 
Thine  was  the  happier  Age  6f  Gold. 

Th6u  bad'st  the  rustic  loves  be  told. — 

Th6u  bad'st  the  tunefQl  reeds  c6mbine, 
6  Singer  of  the  field  find  fold  ! 

And  round  thee,  ever-laughing,  rolled 
The  blithe  Snd  blue  Sicilian  brine — 
Thine  was  the  happier  Age  5f  Gold. 

Alas  f6r  (is  !     Our  songs  Sre  cold  ; 

Our  Northern  suns  to6  sadly  shine  : — 
0  Singer  of  the  field  Snd  fold, 
Thine  was  the  happier  Age  6f  Gold  ! 

Austin  Dobson. 

THE  SESTINA. 

The  sestina  or  sestine  is  another  French  form  of  verse, 
quaint  and  difficult.  It,  like  many  others,  is  from  Provence, 
France,  hence  termed  Provencial.  It  had  its  origin  in  the 
thirteenth  century,  and  was  invented  by  Arnauld  Daniel, 
a  troubadour.  As  its  name  indicates  it  is  a  stanza  com- 
posed of  six  lines,  each  line  or  verse  ending  in  the  same  six 
words  arranged  in  a  prescribed  order,  but  not  rhyming. 
The  sestina  concludes  with  an  envoy  of  three  lines,  which 
must  contain  all  six  of  the  final  words  ;  three  of  these  words 
must  be  in  the  body  of  the  verses  and  three  at  the  end  of  the 
verses  or  lines.  Mr.  Swinburne  varies  this  form  by  making 
the  six  final  rhyme  by  threes.      We  give  his  poem  at  length  : 


THE  CONSTRUCTION  OF  THE  STANZA.  127 


1  saw  my  soul  St  rest  tipon  S  day 

As  a  bird  sleeping  in  thfi  nest  5f  night, 
Among  s6ft  leaves  that  give  th6  starlight  way 

T6  touch  its  wings  but  not  its  eyes  with  light ; 
S6  that  it  knew  Ss  one  in  visiSns  may, 

And  knew  n6t  as  mSn  waking,  of  dfilight". 

This  was  the  measiire  of  ra^  soul's  dSlight ; 

It  has  n6  power  6f  joy  t6  fly  by  day, 
N6r  part  in  the  iSrge  lordship  of  th6  light ; 

BQt  in  a  secret,  moon-b^holdgn  way 
Had  all  its  will  6f  dreams  and  pleasant  night. 

And  all  the  love  and  life  that  sleepers  may. 

BOt  such  life's  triQmph  as  men  waking  may 
It  might  n6t  have  t6  feed  its  faint  delight 

Between  the  stars  by  night  and  sun  by  day, 
Shtlt  up  with  green  leaves  and  a  little  light : 

Because  its  way  was  as  a  lost  star's  way, 
A  world's  n5t  wholly  known  6f  day  6r  night. 

All  loves,  and  dreams,  and  sounds,  and  gleams  6f  night 
Made  it  all  music  that  stich  minstrels  may. 

And  all  they  had  they  gave  it  of  delight  ; 
But  in  the  full  face  of  the  fire  5f  day 

What  place  shall  be  f6r  any  starry  light, 

What  part  6f  heaven  in  all  th6  wide  sfln's  way  ? 

Yet  the  s6ul  woke  n6t,  sleeping  by  the  way, 
Watched  as  a  nursling  of  the  large-eyed  night. 

And  sought  n6  strength  n5r  knowledge  of  the  day, 
N5r  closer  touch  conclusive  of  delight, 

N6r  mightier  joy,  n5r  truer  than  dreamers  may, 
N6r  more  6f  song  than  they,  n6r  more  6f  light. 


128  THE  ART  OF  POETRY. 

F6r  who  sleeps  once,  and  sees  the  secret  hght 
Whereby  sleep  shows  the  soul  a  fairer  way 

Between  the  rise  and  rest  6f  day  and  night, 
Shall  care  nO  more  t6  fare  as  all  men  may, 

BOt  be  his  place  6f  pain  6r  of  delight, 
There  shall  he  dwell,  beholding  night  as  day. 

S6ng,  have  thy  day,  and  take  thy  fill  5f  light 
Before  the  night  be  fallen  across  thy  way  ; 
Sing  while  he  may,  man  hath  nO  long  delight. 

Algernon  Charles  Swinburne. 


SESTINA. 

Fra  tutiiil prima  Arnaldo  Daniello gt an  maestro  d'amor. 

— Petrarch. 

In  fair  Provence,  the  land  Of  liite  and  rose, 
Amaut,  great  master  of  the  lore  6r  love, 
First  wrought  sestines  to  win  his  lady's  heart, 
F6r  she  was  deaf  when  simpler  staves  he  sang, 
And  for  her  sake  he  broke  the  bonds  Of  rhyme, 
And  In  this  subtler  measQre  hid  his  woe. 

"Harsh  be  my  lines,"  cried  Arnaut,   " harsh  the  woe, 
My  lady,  that  enthomed  and  cruel  rose, 
Inflicts  On  him  that  made  her  live  in  rhyme  !  " 
BQt  through  the  meter  spake  the  voice  Of  Love, 
And  like  a  wild-woOd  nightingale  he  sang 
Who  thought  in  crabbed  lays  to  ease  his  heart. 

It  is  nOt  told  if  her  Qntoward  heart 

Was  melted  by  the  poet's  lyric  woe. 

Or  if  in  vain  sO  amOrously  he  sang  ; 

Perchance  throQgh  cloud  Of  dark  conceits  he  rose 

TO  nobler  heights  Of  philosophic  love, 

And  crowned  his  later  years  with  sterner  rhyme. 


THE  CONSTRUCTION  OF  THE  STANZA.  129 

This  thing  alone  wg  know  ;  the  triple  rhyme 
6f  him  wh6  bared  his  vast  find  passi6nate  heart 
T6  all  the  crossing  flames  6f  hate  Snd  love, 
wears  in  the  midst  5f  all  its  storm  5f  woe — 
As  some  16ud  morn  6f  March  mSy  bear  S  rose — 
The  impress  of  S  song  that  ArnSut  sang. 

"Smith  of  his  mother-tongue,"  the  Frenchman  sang 
Of  Launcelftt  and  6f  Galahad,  the  rhyme 
That  beat  s6  blood-like  at  its  core  6f  rose, 
It  stirred  the  sweet  Francesca's  gentle  heart 
T6  take  that  kiss  that  brought  her  so  mQch  woe, 
And  sealed  in  fire  her  mart^dom  6f  love. 

And  Dante,  full  6f  her  immortal  love. 

Stayed  his  dear  song,  and  softly,  sweetly  sang 

As  though  his  voice  br6ke  with  that  weight  5f  woe; 

And  to  this  day  we  think  6f  Arnaut's  rhyme 

Whenever  pity  at  the  laboring  heart 

On  fair  Francesca's  memory  drops  the  rose. 

Ah  !  Sovereign  Love,  fSrgive  this  weaker  rhyme  ! 
The  men  5f  old  wh5  sang  were  great  at  heart, 
Yet  have  we  too  kn5wn  woe,  and  worn  thy  rose." 

E.  W.  Gosse. 

THE  TRIOLET. 

Another  form  borrowed  from  the  French  is  the  triolet. 
It  is  a  short  poem  of  eight  lines.  Its  peculiarity  consists  in 
the  first  lines  being  repeated  as  the  fourth  and  again  as  the 
seventh  lines  ;  while  the  second  line  is  repeated  as  the 
eighth. 


Rose  kissed  me  t5day. 

Will  she  kiss  me  t5m6rr5w  ? 
Let  it  be  as  it  may, 

Rose  kissed  me  t6day. 


I30  THE  ART  OF  POETRY. 

But  the  pleasQre  gives  way 

To  a  savoQr  6f  sorr6w ; 
Rose  kissed  me  t6day. — 

Will  she  kiss  mS  tSmorrOw  ? 

Austin  Dobson. 

Alas,  the  strong,  thg  wise,  th6  brave, 

That  boast  themselves  th6  sons  6f  men  ! 
Once  they  g6  down  into  th6  grave- 
Alas,  the  strong,  thg  wise,  the  brave, 
Thgy  perish  and  hSve  none  t6  save, 

Thgy  are  s6wn,  and  fire  n6t  raised  again  ; 
Alas,  the  strong,  the  wise,  the  brave, 
That  boast  themselves  the  sons  6f  men  ! 

Andrew  Lang. 

VIRELAY. 

The  virelay  is  an  ancient  French  song  or  short  poem.  Ow- 
ing to  the  peculiarities  of  its  formation  it  is  termed  the  Veer- 
ing Lay.  The  French  form  contained  only  two  rhymes,  one 
ot  which  is  made  to  lead  at  the  beginning  and  the  other  at 
the  end  of  the  poem  The  English  virelay  is  composed  oi 
more  than  two  rhymes,  and  the  rhymes  change  place  or 
alternate.  Here  is  a  specimen  of  an  ancient  little  poem  of 
this  type. 

Th6u  cruel  fair,  I  go, 
T5  seek  5ut  any  fate  bQt  thee  ; 

Since  there  is  none  can  wound  me  so, 
N6r  that  has  half  thy  cruelty, 

Th6u  cruel  fair,  I  go. 

F6rever,  then,  farewell ! 
'Tis  a  I6ng  leave  I  take  ;  btit  oh  ! 

T6  tarry  with  thee  here  is  hell. 
And  twent}^  thousand  hells  t6  go — 

F6rever,  then,  farewell. 

Cotton. 


THE  CONSTRUCTION  OF  THE  STANZA. 


131 


Here  is  another  specimen  of  one  of  our  early  virelays.      It 
is  a  stanza  of  an  old  song  of  the  fifteenth  century  : 

Robin  sSt  on  thS  good  grefin  hill, 

Keeping  a  flock  6f  fie,  ^ 
Merry  Makyn  said  him  till,^ 

Robin,  riie  6n  me, 
I  have  I6ved  thee,  in  speech  find  still, ' 

These  ySars  two  6r  three, 
Wj  secret  sorr5w  tinless  th6u  delH 

Doubtless  in  sooth  I  de.  ^ 

Robert  Henry  son. 

*  Sheep.     ^  Unto  or  to.     ^  Silence.     *  Assuage.     '"  Die. 


THE  PANTOUM. 

French  poets  anxious  for  something  new  adopted  a 
Malayan  form,  the  Pantoum.  It  is  not  of  much  practical 
use,  but  serves  to  illustrate  the  quaint  and  peculiar  in  verse. 
It  is  best  adapted  to  the  light,  airy  and  frivolous  things  of 
life,  and  used  in  describing  comic  or  ludicrous  affairs.  Mr. 
Austin  Dobson  has  exercised  his  ingenuity  and  literary  skill 
writing  a  pantoum  entitled  'In  Town."  It  will  be  per- 
ceived the  pantoum  consists  of  a  series  of  quatrains  ;  the 
second  and  fourth  lines  of  the  first  stanza  reappear  as  the 
first  and  third  lines  of  the  second  stanza,  and  the  second  and 
third  lines  of  the  second  stanza  reappear  as  the  first  and 
fourth  lines  of  the  third  stanza,  and  so  on  until  the  end  of 
the  poem.  The  first  and  third  lines  of  the  first  stanza  are 
again  used  as  the  third  and  fourth  lines  of  the  last  stanza. 
Mr.  Dobson's  pantoum  is  in  dactylic  rhythm  and  is  here 
given  : 


132 


THE  AR  T  OF  FOE  TR  V. 

IN    TOWN 

The  blue  fly  sung  in  the  pane. — Tennyson. 

Toiling  in  Town  n6w  is  "  horrid," 
(There  is  that  woman  again  ! ) — 

June  in  the  zenith  is  torrid, 
Thought  gets  dry  in  th6  brain. 

There  is  that  woman  again  : 

"Strawberries  !  fourpence  a  pottle  !  " 
Thought  gets  dry  in  the  brain  ; 

Ink  gets  dry  in  the  bottle. 

"Strawberries  !  fourpence  a  pottle  !  " 

C)  for  the  green  6f  a  lane  ! — 
Ink  gets  dry  in  the  bottle  ; 

"Buzz  "  g6es  a  fly  in  the  pane  ! 

C)  for  the  green  6f  a  lane, 
Where  6ne  might  lie  and  be  laz^' ! 

"  Buzz  "  g5es  a  fly  in  the  pane  ; 
Blueb6ttles  drive  me  crazy  ! 

Where  5ne  might  lie  and  be  lazy. 
Careless  6f  town  and  all  in  it  ! — 

Blueb6ttles  drive  me  crazy  ; 
I  shall  g6  mad  in  a  mintite  ! 

Careless  6f  town  and  all  in  it, 

With  some  6ne  t6  sootiie  and  t5  still  yoQ 
I  shall  g5  mad  in  a  mintite  ; 

Bluebottle,  then  1  shall  kill  you  ! 

With  some  6ne  t6  soothe  and  t6  still  yoQ  ;  — 
As  only  One's  feminine  kin  d5, — 

Bluebottle,  then  I  shall  kill  yotl : 
There  n6w  !  I've  broken  the  windOw  ! 


THE  CONSTRUCTION  OF  THE  STANZA.  133 

As  only  One's  feminine  kin  d5, — • 

S5me  mQslin-clad  Mabel  6r  May  ! — 
There  n6w,  I've  broken  the  wind6w  ! 

BlQebftttlg's  off  and  Sway  ! 

some  muslin-ciad  Mabgl  Or  May, 

TO  dash  One  with  eau  d6  Cologne  ; — 
Bluebottle's  off  and  away  ; 

And  why  shoQld  I  stay  here  alone  ! 

TO  dash  One  with  eau  de  Cologne, 

All  over  One's  eminent  forehead  ; — 
And  why  shoftld  1  stay  here  alone  ! 

Toiling  in  Town  nOw  is  "  horrid." 


BLANK  VERSE. 

Blank  verse  is  without  rhyme.  It  is,  however,  a  favorite 
form  of  poetic  art  with  many  writers  of  verse.  All  poetry 
was  in  blank  verse  until  rhyming  was  introduced  by 
Chaucer.  For  a  long  while  its  devotees  condemned  rhyme. 
Rhyming  was  termed  frivol6us"ah(I  its  practice  and  use  dis- 
countenanced by  some  of  the  best  writers  of  early  English 
poetry.  It  gradually  gained  favor,  however,  until  today, 
instead  of  our  best  and  sweetest  thoughts  finding  expression 
in  blank  verse,  as  was  formerly  the  case,  we  find  them 
expressed  in  rhyme.  To  blank  verse,  however,  the  world 
of  literature  is  greatly  indebted.  It  was  in  blank  verse 
Milton  wrote  "  Paradise  Lost  "  and  Bryant  "  Thanatopsis." 
The  first  may  be  termed  the  first  and  greatest  of  English 
poems  in  blank  verse.  For  while  it  was  used  in  Greek  and 
Latin  poetry,  it  was  in  little  use  in  English  poetry,  until  the 
appearance  of  Milton's  "  Paradise  Lost."  It  immediately 
came  into  general  favor  in  writing  epic  poetry.  Before  this 
its  chief  use  in  English  was  its  use  in  dramatic  composition. 


134 


THE  ART  OF  POETRY. 


The  second,  "  Thanatopsis,"  is  justly  termed  one  of  the 
best  and  grandest  of  conceptions  of  an  elegiac  character. 
Blank  verse  is  ten-syllabled,  that  is,  composed  of  five  poetic 
feet.  It  is  also  termed  Heroic  verse,  and  is  iambic  penta- 
meter.      Blank  verse  usually  ends  with  an  important  word. 


THANATOPSIS. 


T6  him  wh5  in  thS  love  6f  NatQre  holds 
C5mmuni5n  with  her  visible  forms  she  speaks 
A  varioQs  language  ;  for  his  gayer  hours 
She  has  a  voice  6f  gladness,  and  S  smile 
And  el6quence  6f  beauty,  and  she  glides 
int6  his  dflrk  musings  with  S  mild 
And  gentle  sympathy  that  steals  Sway 
Their  sharpness  ere  he  is  Sware. 

William.  Cullen  Bryant. 


Life  is  th6  transmigratiSn  of  <t  soul 
Throtigh  variotls  bodies,  various  states  6f  being  : 
New  manners,  passiSns",  new  pursuits  in  each  ; 
In  nothing,  save  in  consciousness,  the  same. 
Infancy,  adSlescence,  manho5d,  age, 
Are  alwSy  moving  onward,  alwSy  losing 
Themselves  in  one  another,  lost  at  length 
Like  iindiilati5ns  on  the  strand  6f  death. 

James  Montgotnery . 

ADDRESS   TO    LIGHT. 

Hail,  holy  Light,  offspring  5f  Heaven,  first-born, 

Or  of  the  eternal,  co-eternal  beam, 

May  I  express  thee  tinblamed?  since  God  is  light, 

And  never  but  in  unapproached  light 

Dwelt  from  eternity,  dwelt  then  in  thee, 

Bright  efflQence  5f  bright  essence  increate. 

Johu  3 niton. 


THE  CONSTRUCTION  OF  THE  STANZA. 


135 


M6n  are  btit  children  of  S  larger  growth ; 
Our  appetites  Ss  apt  t5"  change  Ss  theirs, 
And  full  as  craving,  too,  find  full  Ss  vain  ; 
And  yet  the  soul  shtit  up  in  her  dSrk  room, 
Viewing  s5  clear  abroad,  at  home  seSs  nothing  ; 
BQt  like  a  mole  in  earth,  busy  and  blind, 
W6rks  all  her  folly  up,  and  casts  it  outward 
T5  the  w6rld's  view. 

John  Dryden. 

A  COUNTRY  LIFE. 

H6w  blest  the  man  wh6  in  thSse  peacefOl  plains, 
Pl6ughs  his  paternal  field  ;  far  from  the  noise. 
The  care,  and  bustle  of  a  busy  world  ! 
All  in  the  sacred,  sweet  sequestered  vale 
Of  solitiide,  the  secret  primr6se-path 
Of  rur|l  life,  he  dwells  ;  and  with  him  dwell 
peace  and  C6ntent,  twins  of  the  sylvan  shade. 
And  all  the  graces  of  the  golden  age. 

Michael  Bruce. 


CHAPTER  X. 

MEASURES  EXEMPLIFIED. 

Trochaic. 

Tasteftil,  gracefGl,  pleasing  measOre 
And  t6  write  thefi  is  a  pleastlre. 

THERE  is  real  music  about  a  well  written  poem  com- 
posed in  this  measure.  The  stress  or  accent  is  laid 
on  the  odd  syllables,  and  the  even  ones  are  unaccented  or 
short. 

Trochees  are  often  mixed  with  iambuses,  but  that  can 
make  no  difference  in  the  scansion,  as  the  number  of  feet 
in  a  verse  or  line  must  be  reckoned  by  the  number  of 
accented  syllables.  Trochaic  verse  admits  of  the  cutting  off 
of  the  final  syllable  ;  of  the  use  of  single  rhymed  endings,  or 
in  ofher  words,  single  rhymed  trochaic  omit  the  final  or  un- 
accented syllable.  While  a  foot  may  end  in  one  accented 
syllable,  a  foot  in  no  instance  can  be  permitted  to  commence 
with  simply  one  syllable.  This  is  true  in  trochaic,  iambic, 
or  any  other  kind  of  measure.  Frequently  we  find  a  line 
ending  in  one  syllable  in  dimeter,  trimeter,  or  tetrameter 
verse.  Hence  we  have  lines  of  three,  five  and  seven  sylla- 
bles. Trochaic  retrenched  of  the  last  unaccented  syllable  is, 
however,  trochaic  still. 

Iambuses  are  admitted  frequently  in  trochaic  verse  as  we 
have   already   noticed.      It  is   not  usual,   however,  to  intro- 

136 


MEASURES  EXEMPLIFIED. 


137 


duce  a  trochaic  line  with  an  iambic  foot,  although  it  is  per- 
missible. Double  rhymes  are  always  less  frequent  than 
single  ones;  hence  lines  oftener  terminate  in  trochaic  meas- 
ures catalectic  than  in  full  trochaic.  But  the  accented  sylla- 
ble is  always  counted  a  foot.  The  inconvenience  that 
naturally  results  from  writing  a  line  of  full  trochees  is  at 
once  apparent.  There  must  always  be  a  double  ending  to 
the  rhymes.  This  cannot  always  happen.  It  is  also  use- 
less. There  is  no  good  reason  why  trochaic  of  any  length 
should  not  be  allowed  to  terminate  in  a  single  rhyme. 

One  or  more  unaccented  syllables  are  termed  hyper- 
metrical. 

When  trochaic  ends  in  a  single  accented  syllable,  consti- 
tuting a  foot,  such  accented  syllable  is  not  to  be  termed  an 
' '  additional ' '  syllable.      The  verse  is  simply  catalectic. 

No  additional,  unaccented  syllable  is  ever  allowed  before 
the  first  foot.  By  permitting  this  you  destroy  all  distinction 
between  iambic  and  trochaic.  It  is  well  to  observe  also,  in 
this  connection,  that  iambic  measure  is  never  shorn  of  the 
unaccented  syllable  in  the  first  foot.  Iambic  measure  never 
commences  with  a  single  accented  syllable.  It  must  always 
commence  with  a  regular  foot,  and  so,  too,  must  trochaic. 

Measure,  Monometer. 

Rhythm,  Trochaic. 

Formula,  Ab. 

Sign,  — 


Example  (i). 

I. 

2. 

3- 

Helter, 

Singing, 

Hurrj^, 

Skelter, 

Swinging, 

Skurry, 

Skaters  go. 

They  g6  by. 

See  them  glide. 

Changing, 

Whisking, 

Rattling, 

Ranging, 

Frisking, 

Battling, 

In  a  row. 

As  they  fly 

Skater's  pride. 
"The  Skaters." 

13^ 


THE  AR  T  OF  POE  TR  V. 


Measure,  Dimeter. 
Rhythm,  Trochaic. 
Formula,  Ab  X  2. 
Sign,  —  v^  X  2. 

Example  (i). 

None  d6  hear 

Use  t5  swear : 

Oaths  do  fray 

Fish  ?lway  ; 

We  sit  still, 

Watch  ofir  quill : 

FishSrs  must  nr)t  wrangle. 

Chalkhill—  "The  Angler. ' ' 

One  peculiarity  of  the  above  poem,  many  of  its  lines 
might  be  termed  safely  anapestic  meter.  The  trochaic 
foot,  however,  prevails  and  the  poem  is  trochaic. 

A  fine  specimen  of  trochaic  dimeter  is  furnished  in  the 
following,  with  single  rhyme  : 


Example  (2). 


In  a  maze 

Lost,  I  gaze: 

Can  5ur  eyes 

Reach  thy  size  ? 

May  my  lays 

Swell  with  praise 

Worthy  thee  ! 

Worthy  me  ! 

Muse,  inspire 

All  thy  fire  ! 

Bards  5f  old 

Of  him  told, 

When  th^y  said 

Atl.ls'  head 

Propped  the  skies. 

See  !  <1nd  hSlieve  yofir  eyes  ! 

John 


See  him  stride 
Valleys  wide; 
Ov6r  woods, 
Ovgr  floods. 
When  he  treads, 
Mountilin  heads, 
Groan  .Ind  shake : 
Armies  quake, 
Lest  his  spurn 
Overturn 
Man  and  steed. 
Troops,  tSke  heed  ; 
Left  <1nd  right 
Speed  yoOr  flight. 
Lest  ftn  host, 
Beneath  his  foot  be  lost. 
Gay — "A  Lilliputian  Ode." 


MEASURES  EXEMPLIFIED.  139 

This  poem  is  also  attributed  to  Alexander  Pope  and  it  is 
published  in  his  works. 

Measure,  Trimeter. 
Rhythm,  Trochaic. 
Formula,  Ab  X  3. 
Sign,  —  w  X  3. 

Example  (i). 

Go  n5t,  happ)?  day, 

From  the  shining  fields, 
Go  n6t,  happy  day, 

Till  the  maiden  yields. 
Rosy  is  the  West, 

Rosy  is  the  South, 
Ros^s  are  h$r  cheeks, 

And  S  rose  h^r  mouth. 
When  the  happy  Yes 

Faltgrs  from  hSr  lips, 
Pass  <tnd  blush  thC  news 

O'er  the  blowing  ships, 
Ov^r  blowing  seas, 

Ov^r  seas  St  rest. 
Pass  the  happy  news. 

Blush  it  thro'  the  West, 
Till  the  red  mSn  dance 

By  his  r6d  ced<1r-tree. 
And  the  red  m.ln's  babe 

Leap,  beyond  th6  sea. 
Blush  fr5m  West  t6  East, 

Blush  fr5m  East  t6  West, 
Till  the  West  is  East, 

Blush  it  thro'  th6  West. 
Rosy  is  the  West, 

Rosy  is  the  South, 
Roses  are  her  cheeks. 

And  a  rose  her  mouth. 

Alfred  Tennyson — "Maud." 


140 


THE  AN  T  OF  FOE  TR  V. 

Example  (2). 
LYRICS  AND  EPICS. 

I  woOld  be  the  Lyric, 

Ev6r  on  the  lip, 
Rather  than  the  Kptc 

MemOry  lets  slip  ! 
I  woQld  be  the  diamfind 

At  my  lady's  ear, 
Rather  than  the  June-r6se 

Worn  bftt  once  a  year  ! 
Thomas  Bailey  Aldrich — "  Lyrics  and  Epics." 

Example  (3). 

Swinging  on  a  birch-tree 

To  a  sleepy  tiine. 
Hummed  by  all  the  breezes 

in  the  month  of  June  ! 
Little  leaves  S-flutter, 

Sound  like  dancing  drops 
Of  a  brook  6n  pebbles  ; 

Song  that  never  stops. 
Lucy  Larcotn — "Swinging  On  a  Birch  Tree." 


Measure,  Tetrameter. 
Rhythm,  Trochaic. 
Formula,  Ab  X  4. 
Sign,  —  w  X  4. 

Example  (i). 

' '  Your  Mission  "  is  an  excellent  poem  in  trochaic  tetra- 
meter.    We  select  the  last  stanza 


MEASURES  EXEMPLIEIED. 


141 


"  Do  n6t,  then,  sUind  idly  waiting 

FOr  s6me  greater  work  t6  do  ; 
FortQne  is  ft  lazy  goddess, 

She  will  never  come  t6  you. 
Go  Snd  toil  in  any  vineyard, — 

Do  n5t  fear  t6  do  and  dare, 
if  yoii  want  S  field  6f  lab6r, 

You  cSn  find  W.  anywhere." 

Ellett  M.  H.  Gates. 

Example  (2). 

Sound,  sweet  song,  fr6m  some  f^r  land, 
Sighing  softly  close  St  hand, 

Now  6f  joy,  and  now  6f  woe  ! 

Stars  are  wont  t6  glimmSr  so. 
Soongr  thus  will  good  tinfold  ; 
Children  young  and  children  old 

Gladly  hear  thy  numbers  flow. 

Goethe — "Sound,  Sweet  Song." 

Another  poem  that  will  never  die  illustrates  this  measure. 
In  addition  to  its  perfect  versification  there  is  something  of 
heaven's  own  music,  something  supernal,  in  the  poem.  Its 
lines  are  so  elevating  and  pure,  with  a  sweet  tenderness  of 
expression  unsurpassed  : 

' '  Every  tinkle  on  the  shingles 
Has  an  ech6  in  the  heart." 

Example  (3). 

The  fifth  of  six  stanzas  is  here  given  : 

And  another  comes,  t5  thrill  me 

With  her  eyes'  delicioOs  blue  ; 
And  I  mind  nOt — musing  on  her, 

That  her  heart  wSs  all  Qntrue  ; 


1 4 2  THE  ART  OF  POE TK  Y. 

1  remember  but  tO  love  h^r 

With  a  passi6n  kin  t6pain, 
And  my  heart's  quick  pulses  vibrate 

To  the  patter  of  the  rain. 

Coates  Kinney — "  Rain  on  the  Roof." 

Measure,  Pentameter. 
Rhythm,  Trochaic. 
Formula,  Ab  X  5. 
Sign,  —  s^  X  5. 

Example  (i). 

Tall  the  plumage  of  the  rush-flfiwer  tosses ; 

Sharp  and  soft  \r\.  many  a  curve  Snd  line, 
Gleam  Snd  glow  the  sea-c616red  marsh-mosses, 

Salt  and  splendid  from  the  circling  brine  ; 
Streak  6n  streak  6f  glimmering  sea  shine  crosses 

All  the  land  sea-satflrSte  as  with  wine. 

A.  C,  Swinburne — "  By  the  North  Sea." 

Example  (2). 

"  Mother,  dear,  what  is  the  water  saying  ? 

Mother,  dear,  why  does  the  wild  sea  roar?  " 
Cry  the  children  on  the  white  sand  plilyTng, — 

On  the  white  sand,  half  S  mile  fr6m  shore, 
"  Little  ones,  I  fear  S  storm  is  growing. 

Come  Sway  !  Oh,  let  Qs  hasten  home  !  " 
Calls  the  mother  ;  and  the  wind  ts  blowing ; 

Flashtng  up  a  million  eyes  6f  foam. 

Anonymous — "The  High  Tide." 

The  following  poem  is  by  one  of  our  best  authors,  and 
the  poem  from  which  selection  is  taken  one  of  his  best  lyrics. 
The  measures  are  inixed  and  present  an  example  of : 


MEASURES  EXEMPLIFIED. 


143 


1st,   Dimeter  ;  2nd,    Trimeter  ;    3rd,    Pentameter ;    4th, 
Dimeter  ;  5th,  Pentameter. 

Example  (3). 

Jingle  !  Jingle ! 

How  the  fields  g6  by  ! 
Earth  and  air  in  snowy  sheen  c5mmingle, 

Far  and  nigh  ; 

Is  the  ground  beneath  tis,  or  the  sky  ? 

Edmund  Clarence  Siedmati — "The  Sleigh  Ride." 

Measure,  Hexameter. 
Rhythm,  Trochaic. 
Formula,  Ab  X  6. 
Sign,  —  ^  X  6. 

Example  (i). 

Never  yet  hSs  poet  sQng  S  perfect  song, 
But  his  life  wSs  rooted  like  a  tree's,  among 

Earth's  great  feeding  forces — even  as  crags  and  mould. 
Rhythms  that  stir  the  forest  by  firm  fibres  hold, 

Lucy  Larcom — "The  Trees." 

From  the  works  of  the  same   author   we    take   another 
example — the  first  and  third  stanzas  : 

Example  {2). 

"~     Happy  fields  6f  summer,  all  yoQr  airy  grasses 

Whispering  and  bowing  when  the  West  wind  passes, 
Happy  lark  and  nestling,  hid  beneath  the  mowing, 
Root  sweet  music  in  yoti,  to  the  white  cl6uds  growing. 

Happy  little  children,  skies  are  bright  above  yoii, 
Trees  bend  down  t6  kiss  yoti,  breeze  and  bl6ss6m  love  yoQ; 
And  we  bless  yoti,  playing  in  the  field-paths  mazy, 
Swinging  with  the  harebell,  dancing  with  the  daisy  ! 

Lucy  Larcom — "  Happy  Fields  of  Summer." 


J  ^^  THE  AR  T  OF  POE  TR  Y. 

Example  (3). 

Now  the  hare  is  snared  Snd  dead  beside  the  snow-ySrd, 
And  the  lark  beside  the  dreary  winter  sea, 
And  my  baby  in  his  cradle  in  the  church-yard 
Waitfith  there  Until  the  bells  bring  me. 

Charles  Kingsley — "The  Merry  Lark." 

Each  couplet  of  the  trochaic  hexameter  is  sometimes 
divided  into  alternate  lines  of  six  and  five  syllables,  forming 
the  trochaic  lis  of  our  hymns. 

Measure,  Heptameter. 
Rhythm,  Trochaic. 
Formula,  Ab  X  7. 
Sign,  —  w  X  7. 

Iambic  heptameter  is  what  is  termed  ballad  meter,  being 
lines  of  tetrameter  and  trimeter  alternately.  There  can  be 
no  good  reason  shown  why  trochaics  can  not  also  be  used 
in  the  same  manner.  One  thing,  however,  must  necessarily 
be  observed,  where  it  is  thus  divided,  every  other  line  becomes 
iambic  While  the  first  and  third  lines  will  be  trochaic  and 
catalectic,  the  second  and  fourth  will  be  iambic  and  hyper- 
meter. 

Trochaics  of  seven  feet  are  exceedingly  rare.  We  find 
{&\\  examples.  It  is  not  certainly  on  account  of  the  extreme 
length,  for  trochaics  octometer  of  late  years  are  plentiful  and 
can  no  longer  be  termed  "  prosodial  anomalies,"  as  they 
were  formerly  termed. 

This  is  the  7s  and  6s  of  our  hymns  : 

"  Stop,  poor  sinner,  stop  and  think," 

Before  yoO  further  go  ; 
Will  yoQ  sport  dpon  the  brink 

Of  everlasting  woe?  " 


MEASURES  EXEMPLIFIED.  145 

It  will  be  observed  the  second  and  fourth  lines  are  iambic. 
If,  however,  the  lines  were  not  alternated  they  would  be 
trochaic. 

Example  (i). 

Cle6n  sees  n6  charms  in  nattire,  in  a  daisy  I  ; 
Cle5n  hears  n6  anthem  ringing  in  th6  sea  Snd  sky  ; 
Nattire  sings  t6  me  fOrevSr,  earn&t  listener  1  ; 
State  f6r  state,  with  all  attendants,  who  wotild  change  ?    N6t  I. 

Charles  Mackay — "Cleon  and  I." 

Example  (2). 

Holy,  holy,  holy  !     Though  th6  darkness  hide  The^, 
Though  the  eye  6f  sinfQl  man  Thy  gl6r5^  may  n6t  see. 
Only  Thou,  0  God,  art  holy  ;  there  is  none  beside  TheS, 
Perfect  Thou  In  power,  in  love  and  purity  ! 

Reginald  Heber — "Trinity  Hymn." 

Example  (3). 

Hasten  sinner  to  repent  thefi,  turn  16  God  and  live. 
Seek  f6r  mercy,  beg  f5r  pard5n,  God  alone  can  give  ; 

Leave  th6  sinfiil  throng  f6rev6r,  sinner,  why  delay  ? 
Seek  fSrgivenSss,  seek  his  blessing, haste  thefi,  haste  away! — 

Trust  Him,  sinnfir,  he  will  bless  the6,  only  mercy  crave 
Trust  thy  loving,  loving  Saviotir,  He  alone  can  save. 

Come  t6  Jestis,  to  thy  Saviotir,  plead  before  to5  late, 
Come  in  sorr5w,  come   rSpentant,  do  n6t  longer  wait. 

Christ  has  left  a  true  rfeligidn,  that  wS  may  n5t  err, 
Come  and  share  it,  choose  it,  sinnfir,  will  yoti  not  prefer 

A  rSligiSn  that  can  save  yoti  in  that  world  above  ? 
Where  is  bliss  and  endlSss  pleastire — God  alone  is  love. 
"  Hasten  Sinner  to  Repent  Thee." 


1 46  THE  A  R  T  OF  POE  TR  Y. 

Measure,  Octometer. 
Rhythm,  Trochaic. 
Formula,  Ab  X  8. 
Sign,  —  ^  X  8. 

Example  (i). 

She  wSs  walking  in  the  spring-time,  in  the  morning-tide  5f  life, 

Little  reckoning  of  the  journey,  of  its  perils  and  its  strife  ; 

For  the  flowers  were  peeping  coyly,  and  the  sQnshine  glistened 

bright, 
And  the  dewdr6ps  lingered,  quivering,  like  fairy  bells  6f  light. 
Not  a  cloud  wfts  in  the  heavens,  not  a  surge  wis  on  the  deep, 
For  the  rimpled  sea  lAy  breathing  in  Sn  unimpassiSned  sleep. 
And  the  fresh  green  leaves  were  nodding,  to  the  whispers  of  the 

breeze — 
"Oh  !  the  world  mQst  be  a  paradise  with  promises  like  these  ! 
There's  n6  canker  in  the  bl6ss6ms,  and  nO  blight  tipon  the  trees." 

Hunter —  "  The  Curtain." 

Example  (2). 

In  the  spring  a  fuller  crimsOn  comes  flpon  the  robin's  breast ; 
In  the  spring  the  want6n  lapwing  gets  himself  another  crest ; 
In  the  spring  a  livelier  iris  changfis  on  the  burnished  dove  ; 
in  the  spring  a  young  man's  fancy  lightly  tiirns  tO  thoughts  6f  love. 
Alfred  Tennyson — "  Locksley  Hall." 

Example  (3). 

Ah,  distinctly  I  remember,  it  was  in  the  bleak  December, 

And  each  separate  dying  ember  wrought  its  ghost  ftponthe  floor. 
Eagerly  1  wished  the  morrow  ;  vainly  I  had  sought  tO  b6rr5w 
From    my    books    siSrcease    5f   sorrOw, — sorrOw  for  the  lost 
Lenore,— 
For  the  rare  and  radiant  maiden  whom  the  angels  name  Lenore. — 
Nameless  here  fOrever  more. 

Edgar  A.  Poe — "The  Raven 


MEASURES  EXEMPLIFIED.  147 

IAMBIC. 

As  before  observed  the  iambic  measure  is  used  more  than 
all  others  combined.  Accent  in  iambic  verse  is  placed  on 
the  even  syllables,  and  the  odd  ones  are  unaccented. 

This  measure  must  always  be  commenced  with  a  regular 
foot  of  two  syllables,  although  the  first  may  be  a  trochee, 
and  often  is.  However,  the  first  foot  cannot  be  commenced 
with  a  single  syllable.  By  an  attempt  to  commence  the 
first  foot  of  the  verse  with  a  single  accented  syllable,  you 
will  simply  change  the  measure  to  trochaic.  A  single  sylla- 
ble not  accented,  frequently  is  added  to  the  end  of  the  verse. 
It  is,  however,  not  to  be  reckoned ■  as  anything  but  super- 
numerary unless  we  should  term  the  ending  an  amphibrach. 

Dactyls  and  anapests,  where  they  serve  to  explain  the 
meter  of  a  line  of  poetry  should  be  used,  as  it  is  far  better 
to  do  so  than  to  have  recourse  to  extra  metrical  syllables. 

It  is  sometimes  difficult  to  tell  theprevailing  foot.  However, 
only  the  accents  are  to  be  counted,  and  where  a  proper  scan- 
sion is  made  the  introduction  of  other  feet  causes  no  trouble. 
A  dactyl  may  be  often  employed  instead  of  a  trochee,  an 
anapest  for  an  iambus.  This  usually  occurs  where  one  un- 
accented vowel  precedes  another  in  what  we  usually  regard 
as  separate  syllables,  and  both  are  clearly  heard,  although 
uttered  in  such  quick  succession  that  both  syllables  occupy 
only  half  the  time  in  utterance  a  long  syllable  would  require, 
as  : 

Foil  many  tl  gem  6f  purfist  ray  serene. 

"Gray's  Elegy." 

The  murmuring  wind,  th6  quivering  leaf, 
Shan  softly  tell  us  thou  art  near  ! 

Oliver  Wendell  Holmes — "  Hymn  of  Trust." 


X48 


THE  ART  OF  POETRY. 


The  words '*  murmuring "  and  "quivering"  are  pro- 
nounced naturally  with  more  rapidity.  So  too  "many  a  " 
in  the  first  example. 

Lines  may  contain  ten  syllables  and  yet  be  only  iambic 
tetrameter.     The  last  two  syllables  being  hypermetrical,  as: 

There  was  in  ancient  sage  Philosopher 
Wh6  had  read  Alexander  Ross  6ver. 

Butler's  "Hudibras." 

Extra  metrical  syllables  can,  however,  occur,  and  are  per- 
missible only  at  the  end  of  a  line,  or  verse.  Such  syllables 
are  always  unaccented. 

Measure,  Monometer. 
Rhythm,  Iambic. 
Formula,  bA. 
Sign,  w  — . 

Poems  in  this  measure  are  very  rare.  The  measure  is 
often  used,  however,  to  construct  a  single  line,  in  combi- 
nation with  other  lines  in  forming  a  stanza. 


ThtisI 
Pass  by 
A.nd  die. 


EXA.MPLE  (i). 

As  one 
Tjnknown 
And  gone ! 


I'm  made 
A  shade, 
And  laid 


I'  th'  grave  ;  Where  tell 

There  have  I  dwell. 

My  cave  :  Farewell. 

Robert  Herrick — "  Upon  His  Departure  Hence." 


MEASURES  EXEMPLIFIED. 


149 


Example  (2) 


At  morn, 

r  hear 
Thy  note, 

S5  cheer. 
Sweet  Thrush. 

The  while 

1  dream, 
In  song 

Yoti  teem, 
Blithe  Thrush. 

G6d  made 
The  earth 

T6  joy 
In  mirth 

Dear  Thrush. 


And  thy 

GSy  trill 
Is  hilt 

His  will, 
6  Thrush  ! 

Mayl 

Be  heard. 
Like  thee, 

F5nd  bird, 
Bright  Thrush : 

T6  sing 

G6d's  praise. 
Sweet  as 

Thy  lays, 
Br6wn  Thrush. 

"The  Thrush.' 


Example  (3). 


And  he 
Wh6m  we 
See  dejected, 
Next  day 
we  may 
See  erected. 

Herrick — '  'Anacreontic. 

Example  (4). 

Hark  !  hist ! 
Around 
A  list ! 
The  bounds 
Of  space 
All  trace, 
Efface 
Of  sound. 

Victor  Hugo — "The  Djinns. 


I50 


THE  ART  OF  POETRY. 


Measure,  Dimeter. 
Rhythm,  Iambic. 
Formula,  bA  X  2, 
Sign,  ^-^  —  X  2. 


Example  (i). 


Once  through  th^  forfist 

Alone  1  went  ; 
T6  seek  fbr  nothing 

My  thoughts  w6re  bent. 

I  saw  in  the  shad6w 
A  flower  stand  there  ; 

As  stars  it  gHstSned, 
As  eyes  'twas  fair. 

1  sought  t6  pluck  It, — 

It  gently  said  : 
"  Shan  1  be  gathered 

Only  t6  fade?" 

With  all  Its  roots 
I  dug  it  with  care, 

And  took  it  home 
T5  my  garden  fair. 

In  silent  corner 
So6n  It  was  set ; 

There  grows  it  ever — 
There  blooms  it  yet. 


Goelhe — "  Found. 


Example  (2) 


Though  care  and  strife 

Elsewhere  be  rife, 
tipon  my  word  I  do  n6t  heed  'em  ; 

In  bed  I  lie 

With  books  hard  by, 
And  with  increasing  zest  I  read  'em. 

Euzene  Field— ''De  Amicitiis." 


MEASURES  EXEMPLIFIED. 


151 


Measure,  Trimeter. 
Rhythm,  Iambic. 
Formula,  bA  X  3. 
Sign,  w  —  X  3. 


Example  (r). 

Oh  you  the  virgins  nine, 
ThSt  do  6ur  souls  indine 
T6  nobis  discipline. 
N6d  to  this  vow  6f  mine  ! 
C6me  then,  Snd  now  inspire 
My  vi51  and  my  lyre 
With  your  SternSl  fire, 
And  make  mS  one  Entire 
CfimposSr  in  yoQr  choir. 
Then  I'll  yotir  altars  strew 
With  r6s6s  sweet  Snd  new, 
And  ev6r  live  S  true 
Acknowledger  6f  you. 
Robert  Herrick — "A  Hymn  to  the  Muses." 


Example  (2). 

Lost !   lost !   lost ! 

A  gem  6f  countless  price 
CQt  from  the  living  rock, 

And  graved  in  Paradise, 
set  round  with  three  times  eight 

Large  diamSnds,  clear  and  bright. 
And  each  with  sixty  smaller  ones, 

All  changeftil  as  the  light. 

Mrs.  Lydia  H.  Sigonrtiey — "  A  Lost  Day." 


152 


THE  ART  OF  POETRY. 
Example  (3). 

C6me,  all  yS  jolly  shepherds 

That  whistle  through  the  glen, 
I'll  tell  yoti  of  a  secret 

That  courtiers  dinna  ken  : 
What  is  the  greatest  bliss 

That  the  tongue  Of  man  can  name  ? 
'Tis  t6  woo  a  bonnie  lassie 

When  the  kye  cOmes  hame  ! 

James  Hogg — "  When  the  Kye  Comes  Hame." 


Measure,  Tetrameter. 
Rhythm,  Iambic. 
Formula,  bA  X  4. 
Sign,  v-'  —  X  4. 

Example  (i). 

F6r  while  thOu  lingerest  in  delight, — 

An  idle  poet,  with  thy  rhyme. 
The  summer  hours  will  take  their  flight 

And  leave  thee  in  a  barren  clime. 

Thomas  Bailey  Aldrich — "Song  Time." 

Example  (2). 

I  once  knew  all  the  birds  that  came 

And  nested  in  6ur  orchard  trees  ; 
F6r  every  flower  1  had  a  name — 

My  friends  were  wood-ch  ticks,  toads,  and  bees  ; 
I  knew  where  thrived  In  yonder  glen — 

What  plants  wotlld  soothe  a  stone-brOised  toe- 
Oh  !  I  was  very  learned  then  ; 

BOt  that  was  very  long  ago  ! 

Eugene  Field — "Long  Ago." 


MEASURES  EXEMPL IFIED.  j  c  3 

Example  (3). 

Have  you  n6t  heard  the  po^ts  tell 

H6w  came  the  dainty  BabJ'  Bell 

Into  this  world  6f  ours  ? 
The  gates  6f  heaven  wSre  left  ajar : 
With  folded  hands  and  dreamy  eyes, 
Wandering  out  6f  Paradise, 
She  saw  this  planet,  like  a  star, 

HQng  in  the  glistening  depths  5f  even- 
Its  bridges,  riinning  to  and  fro. 
O'er  which  the  white-winged  Angels  go. 

Bearing  the  holy  dead  t6  heaven. 
She  touched  a  bridge  6f  flowers — th6se  feet 
S6  light  they  did  nOt  bend  the  bells 
Of  the  celestial  asphftdels, 
They  fell  like  dew  tipon  the  flowers  ; 
Then  all  the  air  grew  strangel>r  sweet ! 
And  thus  came  dainty  Baby  Bell 

int6  this  world  6f  ours. 

Thomas  Bailey  Aldrich — "  Baby  Bell." 

Example  (4). 

"  Man  wants  btit  little  here  below, 

N6r  wants  that  little  long." 
'Tis  not  with  me  exactly  so, 

Bfit  'tis  sft  in  the  song. 
My  wants  are  many,  and  if  told, 

WoGld  muster  many  a  score  : 
And  were  each  wish  a  mint  6f  gold, 

I  still  shotild  long  fbr  more. 

John  Quincy  Adams,  "The  Wants  of  Man." 

Example  (5). 

Mj^  days  among  the  dead  are  passed  ; 

Around  me  I  behold. 
Where'er  these  casOai  eyes  are  cast. 

The  mighty  minds  6f  old  : 


154 


THE  ART  OF  FOE TR  Y. 

My  nevSr-failKng  friends  Sre  they 
With  whom  1  converse  night  Snd  day. 

With  them  1  take  delight  in  weal. 

And  seek  relief  in  woe  ; 
And  while  I  iinderstand  and  feel 

H6w  much  t6  them  I  owe, 
My  cheeks  hSve  often  been  bSdewed 
With  tears  6f  though tftil  gratitude. 

Robert  Southey — "  The  Library." 

Example  (6). 

The  Fays  thSt  to  my  christening  came 

(F6r  come  they  did,  my  niirses  taught  me,) 
They  did  n6t  bring  me  wealth  6r  fame, 

'Tis  very  little  that  they  brought  me. 
BQt  one,  the  Grossest  of  the  crew, 

The  iigly  old  6ne,  uninvited, 
said,  "1  shall  be  avenged  5nj/<3M, 

My  child  ;  yoO  shall  gr6w  up  sh6rt-sighted  !  " 
With  magic  juices  did  she  lave 

Mine  eyes,  and  wrought  her  wicked  pleasQre. 
well,  of  all  gifts  the  Fairies  gave, 

Htrs  is  the  present  that  I  treasQre  ! 

The  bore  wh6m  others  fear  and  flee, 

I  do  n6t  fear,  I  do  n6t  flee  him  ; 
I  pass  him  calm  as  calm  can  be; 

1  do  n5t  cut — 1  do  n6t  see  him  ! 
And  with  my  feeble  eyes  and  dim, 

Where  j/o^  seS  patchji'  fields  and  fences, 
F6r  me  the  mists  fif  Turner  swim — 

Mj^  "  azQre  distance  "  soon  commences  ! 
Nay,  as  I  blink  about  the  streets 

Of  this  befogged  and  miry  city. 
Why,  alm6st  evet^  girl  6ne  meets 

Seems  pretematOrally  pretty ! 


MEASURES  EXEMPLIFIED.  i^^ 

"  Try  spectScles,"  6ne's  friends  intone  ; 

"  YoQ'll  see  the  world  cSrrectly  through  thfim." 
Btit  I  have  visions  of  my  own, 

And  not  f6r  worlds  woQld  I  Qndo  thgm. 

Andrew  Lang — "  The  Fairy's  Gift." 

Example  (7). 

As,  by  sOnie  tyrant's  stern  c6mmand, 
A  wretch  f5rsakes  his  native  land, 
In  foreign  climes  c6ndemned  t6  roam 
An  endless  exile  from  his  home  : 
Pensive  he  treads  the  destined  way, 
And  dreads  t6  g5,  n5r  dares  t6  stay  : 
Till  on  s6me  neighboring  mountain's  brow 
He  stops,  and  turns  his  eyes  below  ; 
There,  melting  at  the  well-kn6wn  view, 
Drops  a  last  tear,  and  bids  adieu  ; 
S6,  I  thQs  doomed  fr5m  thee  t5  part, 
Gay  queen  6f  fancy  and  6f  art, 
Reluctant  move,  with  doubtffll  mind, 
Oft  stop,  and  often  look  behind. 
Sir  Willimn  Blackstone — "A  Lawyer's  Farewell  to  His  Muse." 

Measure,  Pentameter. 
Rhythm,  Iambic. 
Formula,  bA  X  5. 
Sign,  w  —  X  5 

Example  (i). 

Fair  insect !  that,  with  thread-like  legs  spread  out. 
And  blood-extracting  bill,  and  filmy  wing, 

D5st  murmQr,  as  thoti  slowly  sail'st  about. 
In  pitiless  ears  ftill  many  a  plaintive  thing  ; 

And  tell'st  h5w  little  our  large  veins  shoQld  bleed, 
VVoQld  we  bQt  yield  them  freely'  in  thy  need. 

Bryant — " To  a  Mosquito." 


I  ^6  THE  AR  T  OF  POE  TR  V. 

Example  (2), 

Eternal  Hope  !   when  yonder  spheres  sQblime 
Pealed  their  first  notes  t6  sound  the  march  6f  Time, 
Thy  joyoiis  youth  began — but  not  t5  fade. 
When  all  the  sister  planets  have  decayed. 
When  wrapt  in  fire  the  realms  6f  ether  glow 
And  heaven's  iSst  thunder  shakes  the  world  below, 
Th5u,  undismayed,  shSlt  o'er  the  ruins  smile, 
And  light  thy  torch  at  Nature's  funeral  pile. 

Thomas  Campbell — "Pleasures  of  Hope. 

Example  (3). 

In  allmy  wanderings  round  this  world  6f  care, 
In  all  my  griefs — and  God  has  given  my  share — 
I  still  had  hopes  m^  latest  hours  t6  crown, 
Amidst  these  humble  bowers  t6  lay  me  down  ; 
T6  husband  out  life's  taper  at  the  close. 
And,  keep  the  flame  fr6m  wasting  by  repose  : 
I  still  had  hopes,  f5r  pride  attends  Qs  still, 
Amidst  the  swains  t6  show  my  book-learned  skill, 
Aroiind  my  fire  an  evening  groiip  t6  draw. 
And  tell  6f  all  I  felt,  and  all  I  saw  ; 
And,  as  a  hare,  wh6m  hounds  and  horns  pQrsue, 
Pants  to  his  place  fr5m  whence  at  first  she  flew. 
I  still  had  hopes,  my  long  vexatiOns  past. 
Here  to  return — and  die  at  home  at  last. 

Oliver  Goldsmith — "  Deserted  Village. 

Example  (4). 

What  is't  t6  us,  if  taxes  rise  5r  fall  ? 
Thanks  to  5ur  fortQne,  we  pay  none  at  all. 
Let  muckw5rms,  who  in  dirty  acres  deal. 
Lament  th6se  hardships  which  we  cann6t  feel. 
His  Grace,  wh5  smarts,  may  bell6w  if  he  please, 
Bnt  must  I  bellOw  too,  whO  sit  at  ease  ^ 


MEASURES  EXEMPLIFIED. 


157 


By  custom  safe,  th6  port's  numbers  flow 
Fre6  as  thS  light  find  air  s6me  years  Sgo. 
N6  statesman  e'er  will  find  it  worth  his  pains 
T6  tax  5ur  lab6rs  and  gxcise  6ur  brains. 
Burthens  like  these,  vile  earthly  buildings  bear  ; 
N6  tribtite  laid  6n  castl&  in  th6  air ! 

Charles  Churchill — ' '  The  Poverty  of  Poets. ' ' 

Measure,  Hexameter. 
Rhythm,  Iambic. 
Formula,  bA  X  6. 
Sign,  --^  —  X  6. 

Example  (i). 

Bfiside  this  massive  gateway 

Built  up  in  years  gftne  by, 
tJpon  wh6se  top  thS  clouds 

In  eternal  shad6w  lie. 
While  streams  thS  evening  sunshine 

On  the  quiet  wood  and  lea, 
~    1  stand  and  calmly  wait 

Till  the  hinges  turn  f6r  me. 
William  Cullen  Bryant — "  Waiting  by  the  Gate." 

Example  (2). 

Adore  n6  God  besides  me,  to  pr5v6ke  mine  eyes  ; 
N5r  worship  me  in  shapes  and  forms  that  men  devise  ; 
With  reverence  use  my  name,  n6r  turn  my  words  t5  jest ; 
Observe  my  Sabbath  well,  n5r  dare  prOfane  m5^  rest ; 
H6n5r  and  due  5bedience  to  thy  parents  give  ; 
N5r  spill  the  guiltless  blood,  n6r  let  the  guilty  live  ; 
Preserve  thy  body  chaste,  and  flee  the  unlawftil  bed  ; 
N5r  steal  thy  neighbor's  gold,  his  garment,  or  his  bread  ; 
F6rbear  t6  blast  his  name  with  falsehood  or  deceit ; 
N5r  let  thy  wishes  loose  tipon  his  large  estate. 
Dr.  Isaac  W^atts — "  The  Ten  Commandments  Versified." 


1^8  THE  ART  OF  POETR  V. 

Example  (3;. 

What  ails  thefi,  young  One?  what  ?  Wh^^  pull  s6  at  thy  cord  ? 
ts  it  ncit  well  with  thee  ?  w6ll  both  f6r  bed  ftnd  board  ? 
Th J^  plot  5f  grass  is  soft,  and  green  ;1s  grass  ctin  be  ; 
R6st,  little  young  One,  rest ;  what  is't  that  ailSth  thee  ? 

Wordsworth — "  The  Pet  Lamb." 

The  iambic  hexameter  is  seldom  employed  by  our  poets, 
except  in  combination  with  other  measures.  It  is  used  to 
form  the  last  line  of  the  Spenserian  stanza. 

Measure,  Heptameter. 
Rhythm,  Iambic. 
Formula,  bA  X  7. 
Sign,  w  —  X  7. 

This  is  our  regular  ballad  meter.  For  greater  conven- 
ience, owing  to  its  length,  it  is  generally  written  in  alternate 
lines  of  four  and  three  feet. 

It  is  a  favorite  measure,  and  perhaps  more  examples  may 
be  found  in  it  than  almost  any  other  kind. 

Dr.  Holmes,  always  a  felicitous  writer,  has  few  better 
poems  than  the  one  from  which  we  quote  the  first  stanza. 
It  is  in  ballad  meter  : 

Example  (i). 

0  for  6ne  hour  5f  youthfill  joy  ! 

Give  back  my  twentieth  spring  ! 
I'd  rather  laugh  a  bright-haired  boy 

Than  reign  a  gray-b6ard  king  ! 

"  The  Old  Man  Dreams  " 


MEASURES  EXEMPLIFIED.  .-n 

Example  (2). 

The  South-wind  breathes,  ftnd  16  !  yoil  throng 

This  rugged  land  6f  ours: 
I  rhink  the  pale  blQe  clouds  5f  May 

Dr6p  down,  Snd  turn  t6  flowers. 
Thoinas  Bailey  Aldrich — "  The  Bluebells  of  New  England." 

Example  (3). 

As  one  wh6  cons  St  evSntng  o'er  ftn  albfim  all  alone, 
And  muses  on  the  facSs  of  the  friends  that  he  hSs  known, 

S6  t  turn  the  leaves  6f  fancy  till,  tn  shadftwy  design, 
I  find  the  smiltng  features  of  Sn  old  sweetheart  6f  mine. 

James  Whitcomb  Riley — "  An  Old  Sweetheart." 

Example  (4). 

The  matron  at  her  mirrOr,  with  her  hand  tipon  her  brow, 

Sits  gazing  on  her  lovely  face — ily,  lovely  even  now  ; 
Why  doth  she  lean  dpon  her  hand  with  such  a  look  5f  care  ? 
Wh5^  steals  that  tear  across  her  cheeks  ? — She  sees  her  first  gray 
hair. 

Thomas  H.  Bayly — "  The  First  Gray  Hair." 

Measure,  Iambic. 
Rhythm,  Octometer. 
Formula,  bA  X  8. 
Sign,  w  —  X  8. 

Owing  to  the  length  of  the   lines   we   usually   find   this 
measure  written  in  stanzas  of  four  lines,  rhyming  alternately  : 

Example  (i). 

tt  was  the  time  when  lilTes  blow. 

And  clouds  are  highest  up  In  air, 
L6rd  Ronald  brought  a  lily-whUe  doe 

T6  give  his  cousin.  Lady  Clare. 

Alfred  Tennyson—''  Lady  Clare." 


l6o  THE  ART  OF  POETRY. 

Example  (2). 

The  light  6f  smiles  shilU  fill  Again 

ThS  lids  that  overflow  with  tears  ; 
And  weary  hours  6f  woe  Tind  pain 

Are  promises  of  happier  years. 

Bryavt — "Blessed  Are  They  That  Mourn." 

DACTYLIC. 

Verse  in  dactylic  rhythms  is  not  so  common  as  in  other 
rhythms.  It  is,  however,  capable  of  great  resuhs.  It  is  a 
stately  rhythm,  and  one  in  which  some  of  our  best  battle 
hymns  are  written.  Love,  pathos,  grief  and  all  the  tender 
emotions  are  expressed  in  this  rhythm  with  durable  effect. 
Patriotism  finds  true  expression  in  dactylic  accents.  Tetra- 
meter verse  is  the  favorite  measure  of  writers  of  this  rhythm. 
Dactylic  with  single  rhymes  end  with  a  caesura  or  single 
foot ;  while  double  rhymes  end  with  a  trochee  ;  full  dactylic 
usually  form  triple  rhymes.  Dactylic  poetry  is  seldom  jiure 
and  regular. 

Measure,  Dimeter. 
Rhythm,  Dactylic. 
Formula,  Abb  X  2. 
Sign,  — -  -^^  ^-^  X  2. 

Example  (i). 

Little  white  Lily 

Sat  by  a  Stone, 
DroopTng  Snd  wilting 

Till  thg  sun  shone. 
Little  white  Lily 

Sunshine  has  fed  ; 
Little  white  Lily 

Is  lifting  her  head. 
George  Mac  /?ofi a /(f^"  The  White  Lily." 


MEASURES  EXEMPLIFIED.  ^g^ 

Example  (2). 

Make  n6  deep  scrutln^^ 

Int6  her  mutiny. 
Rash  and  Qndutiftil : 

Past  all  dishonSr, 
Death  has  left  on  hSr 

Only  the  beautiftil. 

Thomas  Hood — ' '  Bridge  of  Sighs. ' ' 


Example  (3). 

"  Room  f5r  him  int6  the 

Ranks  6f  htimantty ; 
Give  him  a  place  in  yotir 

KingdSm  hi  vanity  ! 
Welc5me  the  stranger  with 

Kindly  affectiSn  ; 
HopefQlly,  triistfQlly, 

Not  with  dejectibn." 

— — "My  Boy." 


Example  (4). 

Rising  and  leaping, 
Sinking  and  creeping, 
Swelling  and  sweeping, 
Showering  and  springing, 
Flying  and  flinging. 
Writhing  and  ringing, 
Eddying  and  whisking, 
Spouting  and  frisking, 
TiJrning  and  twisting, 
Around  and  around — 
With  endless  rebound ! 
Robert  Sotdhey — "The  Cataract  of  Lodore." 


J 52  THE  ART  OF  POETRY. 

Example  (5). 

Half  a  league,  half  a  league, 
Haifa  league  onward, 
All  in  the  vallgy  6f  Death 

Rode  the  six  hundred. 
"  Forward,  thS  Light  Brigade  ! 
Charge  f6r  the  guns, ' '  he  said  : 
Int5  the  valley  6f  Death 

Rode  the  six  hundred. 
Tennyson — "  The  Charge  of  the  Light  Brigade." 

Example  (6). 

Bird  6f  the  wilderness, 

Blithes5me  and  cumberless, 
Sweet  be  thy  matin,  6'er  moorland  and  lea  ! 

Emblem  6f  happiness. 

Blest  is  thy  dwelling  place — 
O,  t6  abide  in  the  desert  with  thee  ! 

Wild  is  thy  lay  and  loud 

Far  in  the  downy  cloud. 
Love  gives  it  energy,  love  gave  it  birth. 

Where,  On  thy  dewy  wing, 

Where  art  th6u  journeying  ? 
Thy  lay  is  in  heaven,  thy  love  is  On  earth. 

O'er  {fell  and  fountain  sheen 

O'er  mo6r  and  mountain  green, 
O'er  the  red  streamer  that  heralds  the  day. 

Over  the  cloudlet  dim. 

Over  the  rainb5w's  rim, 
Musical  cherQb,  s5ar,  singing  away  ! 

Then,  when  the  gloaming  comes, 

Low  in  the  heather  blooms 
Sweet  will  thy  welcOme  and  bed  6f  16ve  be  ! 

Emblem  6f  happiness, 

Blest  is  th^^  dwelling  place — 
O,  t6  abide  in  th6  desert  with  thee  ! 

James  Hogg — "The  Sky  Lark." 

The  above  is  dimeter,  trimeter  and  tetrameter. 


MEASURES  EXEMPLIFIED. 


163 


Measure,  Tetrameter. 
Rhythm,  Dactylic. 
Formula,  Abb  X  4. 
Sign,  —  ^w  -^  X  4. 

Example  (i). 

Cover  th6m  ov6r  with  beautJfQl  flowers  ; 
Deck  them  with  garlSnds,  th5se  brothers  6f  ours ; 
Lying  s6  silSnt,  by  night  Snd  by  day, 
Sleeping  tbS  years  Of  their  manhoOd  Sway  : 
Years  they  had  marked  f6r  the  joys  6f  the  brave  ; 
Years  they  mQst  waste  in  the  sloth  6f  the  grave. 
All  the  bright  laurels  they  fought  t6  mSke  bloom 
Fell  t6  the  earth  when  they  went  t6  the  tomb. 
Give  them  the  meed  they  hive  won  in  the  past ; 
Give  them  the  hon5rs  their  merits  forecast ; 
Give  them  the  chaplets  they  won  in  the  strife  ; 
Give  them  the  laurels  Ihey  lost  with  their  life. 
Cover  them  over — yes,  cover  them  over — 
Parent,  Snd  husband,  and  brother,  and  lover  : 
Crown  in  yotir  heart  these  dead  her6es  6f  ours. 
And  cover  them  over  with  beautifQl  flowers. 

Will  Carleion — "Cover  Them  Over." 

Example  (2). 

Weary  way-wanderer,  languid  and  sick  at  heart. 
Traveling  painfQlly  over  the  riigged  r5ad, — 
Wild-visaged  wanderer  !  God  help  thee,  wretched  6ne  ! 

Robert  Soulhey —"  The  Soldier's  Wife." 

Example  (3). 

Hail  t6  the  Chief  wh6  in  tritimph  advances  ! 

H6n6red  and  blessed  be  the  evergreen  pine  ! 
Long  may  the  tree,  in  his  banner  that  glanc6s 

Flourish,  the  shelter  and  grace  6f  Our  line ! 

Sir  Walter  Scott—''  Boat  Song." 


164 


THE  ART  OF  POETRY. 


Example  (4). 


Come  t6  m6,  dear,  6re  I  die  5f  my  sorrSw, 
Rise  6n  my  gloom  like  th6  sun  6f  t5-m6rr6w. 
Strong,  swift  and  fond  Ss  th6  words  that  1  speak,  16ve 
With  S  song  6n  yotir  lip  Snd  i  smile  5n  your  cheek,  I6ve. 
Come,  f5r  my  heart  in  yotir  absence  is  weary  — 
Haste,  f5r  my  spirit  is  sickgned  and  dreary  — 
Come  t6  the  arms  which  alone  should  caress  thee. 
Come  t6  the  heart  which  is  throbbing  t6  press  the6  ! 

Joseph  Brennan —  "  Come  to  Me,  Dearest.' 

Measure,  Hexameter. 
Rhythm,  Dactylic. 
Formula,  Abb  X  6. 
Sign,  —  v_^  v-/  X  6. 


Example  ( i)- 

BeautifQl  was  the  night.     Behind  the  black  wall  6f  the  forest. 
Tipping  its  summit  with  silver,  arose  the  moon.     On  the  river 
Fell  here  and  there  throtigh  the  branches  a  tremOlotis  gleam  5f  the 

moonlight. 
Like  the  sweet  thoughts  6f  love  6n  a  darkened  and  deviotis  spirit. 
Nearer  and  round  about  her,  the  manifold  flowers  of  the  garden 
Poured    6ut  their  souls   in   od6rs,  that    were  their  prayers  and 

c6nfessi6ns 
Unt5  the  night,  as  it  went  its  way,  like  a  silent  Carthusian. 
Fuller  6f  fragrance  than  they,   and  as   heavy    with   shadSws   and 

night  dews, 
Hung  the  heart  5f  the  maiden.     The  calm  and  the  magical   moon- 
light 
Seemed  t6  inundate  her  soul  with  indefinable  longings, 
As,  throtlgh  the  garden  gate,   and    beneath  the  shade  f)f  the  oak 

trees 
Passed  she  along  the  path  t5  the  edge  6f  the  measflreless  praries. 
Henry  Wadsworth  Longfellow — "  Evangeline  on  the  Prairie." 


MEASURES  EXEMPLIFIED. 
ANAPESTIC. 


•65 


Anapestic  measure  is  growing  in  favor  year  by  year,  and 
the  tumbling  meter  of  King  James  is  one  of  the  beautiful 
rhythms  of  modern  verse.  It  is  interchangeable  with  the 
iambus,  as  well  as  other  measures,  especially  the  dactylic 
and  amphibrach.  An  iambus  is  frequently  the  first  foot  of 
anapestic  measure.  Anapestic  tetrameter  is  very  smooth 
flowing,  a  rhythm  some  of  our  poets  use  with  admirable 
effect,  producing  verse  of  both  melody  and  vigor.  It  is 
well  adapted  to  cheerful  and  humorous  verse. 

Measure,  Monometer. 
Rhythm,  Anapestic. 
Formula,  bbA. 
Sign,  ^  w  — . 

Anapestic  monometer  is  rarely  met  with  except  where  it 
is  used  as  a  refrain  or  in  combination  with  other  measures  of 
verse.  It  is  so  near  akin  to  trochaic  catalectic  dimeter,  that 
it  is  often  extremely  difficult  to  distinguish  it  from  that  meas- 
ure. Anapestic  verse  is  very  often  mixed,  and  its  measure 
can  only  be  determined  by  a  careful  scansion,  and,  by  the 
prevailing  primary  measure  or  foot. 


Example  (i). 


In  the  sleigh 
Hie  ft  way  ! 
Here  we  go 
On  the  snow. 

tn  ft  trance, 
H6w  we  dance 
Steeds  a  way 
Oh  h6w  gay ' 


Mflslc-swells 
Of  the  bells 
In  the  night 
G][ve  delight. 

In  ft  daze 
H6w  we  gaze 
In  ft  maze 
At  the  sleighs  ! 


J 56  THE  ART  OF  POETRY. 

N6w  we  ride,  'Tis  <1  treat, 

N6w  wS  glide,  On  the  sleet — 

Swift  g6  by  With  yoQr  Sweet 

H6w  we  fly  !  T6  g5  sleighing  ! 

"The  Sleigh  Ride." 

Example  (2). 

Then  we  go 

T6  and  fro, 

With  6ur  knacks 

At  5ur  backs, 

T6  sflch  streams 

As  the  Thames 

If  we  have  the  leisdre. 

Chalkhill—''T\\^  Angler." 

"The  Angler"  is  a  trochaic  poem,  although  these  lines 
are  readily  scanned  as  anapestic  monometer. 


Measure,  Dimeter. 
Rhythm,  Anapestic. 
Formula,  bbA  X  2. 
Sign,  ^-^  ^-^  —  X  2. 


EXAMPLK   (i). 

He  is  gone  !  He  is  gone  ! 

Like  the  leaf  fr6m  the  tree, 
Or  the  down  that  is  blown 

By  the  wind  6'er  the  lea. 
He  is  fled,  the  light-hearted  ! 

Yet  a  tear  mQst  have  started 
T6  his  eyes,  when  he  parted 

Fr6m  I6ve  stricken  me. 
Motherwell— "^  He  is  Gone^^He  is  Gone." 


MEASURES  EXEMPLIFIED.  167 

The  stanza  below  from   the    "Heathen   Chinee"   is  an.i- 
pestic  dimeter,  trimeter  and  tetrameter  :  ^ 

Example  (2). 

Which  I  wish  t5  remark — 

And  m>^  language  is  plain — 
Tlult  fbr  ways  that  Are  dark 

And  f5r  tricks  that  are  vain, 
Th6  heathfin  Chinee  is  peculiar  : 

Which  thS  same  I  wotild  rise  t6  Explain. 
Bret  Harte — "  Plain  Language  from  Truthful  James." 

Example  (3). 

The  blessed  61d  fire-place  !  how  bright  Tt  appears, 

As  back  t6  m^  b6yho6d  I  gaze, 
O'er  th6  des5late  waste  5f  the  vanishing  years. 

From  the  gloom  of  these  lone  latter-days  ; 
Its  lips  are  as  ruddy,  its  heart  is  as  warm 

T5  my  fancy  t5night  Ss  6f  yore, 
When  we  cuddled  around  it  and  smiled  at  the  storm. 

As  It  showed  tts  white  teeth  at  the  door. 

James  Newton  Matthews — "The  Old  Fireplace." 

This  stanza  is  anapestic  trimeter  and  tetrameter. 

Measure,  Trimeter. 
Rhythm,  Anapestic. 
Formula,  bbA  X  3. 
Sign,  w  w  —  X  3. 

Example  (i). 

I  Sm  monarch  5f  all  I  sQrvey, 

My  right  there  is  none  t5  dispute  ; 
Fr6m  the  centre  all  round  to  the  sea, 

I  am  lord  of  the  fowl  and  the  brute. 


1 53  THE  ART  OF  POE TR  Y. 

O  SolitQde  !  where  Sre  the  charms 

Th.1t  sag^s  have  seen  in  thy  face  ? 
Better  dwell  in  th6  midst  of  alarms 

Than  reign  in  this  horrible  place. 

U^iNiain  Cowper — "Alexander  Selkirk." 

Example  (2). 

Oh,  Love  is  a  wonderfBl  wizard  ! 

He  can  see  by^  hTs  own  keen  light, 
H6  laughs  at  the  wrath  6f  the  tempest, 

He  has  never  a  fear  5f  the  night. 
Tw5  lives  that  are  wedded  leagues  hold  nOt  apart, — 

L6ve  can  hear,  e'en  throQgh  thunder,  the  beat  Of  a  hearL 
Liicy  Larcoin — "On  the  Misery  Islands." 

This  stanza  is  trimeter  and  tetrameter  : 

Measure,  Tetrameter. 
Rhythm,  Anapestic. 
Formula,  bbA  X  4. 
Sign,  WW—-:  4. 

Example  (i). 

Mr.  'Liakim  Smith  wAs  3  liard-fKsted  farmer 

Of  moderate  wealth, 

And  immoderate  health, 
Wh6  fifty-6dd  years  in  a  stub  and  twist  amiOr 
Of  callous  and  tun,  had  fought  like  a  man 
HTs  6wn  dogged  progress  throOgh  trials  and  cares, 
And  log-heaps,  and  briish-heaps,  and  wild  cats  and  bears. 
And  agties  and  fevers,  and  thistles  and  briars, 
Po6r  kinsman,  rich  foeman,  false  saints,  and  trtie  liars  ; 
Wh5  oft,  like  "the  man  in  <5ur  town,"  6verwise, 
Throflgh  the  brambles  6f  err5r  had  scratched  6ut  his  eyes, 
And  when  the  tinwelcOma  result  he  had  seen, 

Had  altered  his  n6ti6n, 

Reversing  the  motion 


MEASURES  EXEMPLIFIED. 


i6g 


And  scratched  them  b6th  in  Again,  perfect  .Ind  clean  ; 
Wh5  hild  weathered  s6me  storms,  fts  it  sailOr  might  say, 
And  tacked  t6  the  left  iind  the  right  5f  his  way, 
Till  he  found  himself  anchored,  past  tempests  ftnd  breakers, 
Cpon  a  go6d  farm  6f  S  hundred-6dd  acres. 

IVt/l  Carleton — "The  Three  Lovers.' 


Example  (2). 

When  the  candles  bQrn  low,  And  the  company's  gone, 
In  the  silence  5f  night  Ss  I  sit  here  Slone  — 
I  sit  here  alone,  btit  we  yet  are  a  pair  — 
My  Fanny  I  see  in  my  cane-b5tt5med  chair. 
Williatn  Makepeace  Thackeray —  "The  Cane- Bottomed  Chair." 


Example  (3). 

My  heart's  in  the  Highlands,  mj:  heart  is  n6t  here  ; 
My  heart's  in  the  Highlands  a-chasing  the  deer  ; 
Chasing  the  wild  deer,  and  foUSwing  the  roe, 
My  heart's  in  the  Highlands  wherever  I  go. 
Farewell  t6  the  Highlands,  farewell  t6  the  North, 
The  birth-place  5f  val5r,  the  country  6f  worth  ; 
Wherever  I  wander,  wherever  I  rove, 
The  hills  6f  the  Highlands  fSrever  I  love. 

Robert  Bunts — "  My  Heart's  in  the  Highlantis 


Example  (4). 

0  yoiing  L6chinvar  is  c6me  out  5f  the  west; 
ThroQgh  all  the  w,ifJe  border,  his  steed  was  the  best ; 
And  save  his  go6d  broadswSrd  he  weap6ns  had  none, 
He  rode  all  tinarmed,  and  he  rode  all  alone. 
S5  faithftil  in  love  and  s6  dauntless  in  war, 
There  never  was  knight  like  the  young  L6chinvar. 

Sir  Walter  Scott — "  Lochinvar." 


I  70  THE  ART  OF  POETRY. 

Example  (5). 

The  goiid  ship  ArbellS  is  leading  th6  fleet, 

Away  t6  thS  westward  throQgh  rain-st6rm  Snd  sleet ; 

The  white  cliffs  6f  England  have  dropped  otit  6f  sight : 

As  birds  fr6m  thS  warmth  6f  th^ir  nests  taking  flight 

Into  wider  h6riz6ns  each  fliittering  sail 

Follows  fast  where  the  MayflOwer  fled  6n  the  gale 

With  her  res6lQte  Pilgrims,  5n  winters  before  ; 

And  the  fire  6f  their  faith  lights  the  sea  and  the  shore. 

Lucy  Larconi — "The  Lady  Arbella." 

Measure,  Hexameter. 
Rhythm,  Anapestic. 
Formula,  bb  A  X  6. 
Sign,  ^  w  —  V  6. 

Example  (i). 

My  sister '11  be  down  in  a  minQte,  and  says  yoQ're  tO  wait,  if  you 

please. 
And  says  1  might  stay  till  she  came,  if  I'd  promise  her  never  t6 

tease 
N6r  speak  till  yofl  spoke  t5  me  first,  bflt  that's  nonsense,  fOr  how 

woQid  yoft  know 
What  she  told  me  t5  say  if  I  didn't?     DOn't  yoQ  xk^'  and  triily 

think  so? 

Bret  Harte — "  Entertaining  her  Big  Sister's  Beau." 


M 


CHAPTER  XI. 

IMITATION  OF  CLASSICAL  MEASURES. 

ANY  of  our  modern  poets  have  experimented  in  the 
classical  meters.  Cowper,  Southey,  Kingsley, 
Swinburne,  Longfellow  and  Tennyson,  have  all  imitated 
classic  measures.  The  results  in  most  instances  are  not 
practical,  and  have  furnished  us  only  with  curiosities  in 
literature.  There  are  said  to  be  some  twenty-nine  Greek 
and  Latin  meters.  As  all  Latin  and  Greek  verse  depended 
upon  quantity,  and  English  verse  depends  upon  accent,  we 
do  not  believe  classical  measures  can  be  successfully 
adopted  in  English. 

In  addition  to  Latin  Pentameters  and  Hexameters,  some 
English  poets  have  imitated  Greek  Sapphics  and  Alcaics. 
Alkaios  was  a  lyric  poet  born  in  Mitylene,  the  capital  of 
Lesbos,  who  flourished  B.  C.  606  years.  He  was  supposed 
to  have  been  the  inventor  of  the  Alcaic  Ode,  an  ode  written 
in  the  Alcaic  meter  composed  of  several  strophes,  each 
consisting  of  four  lines.  An  Alcaic  strophe  consisted  of 
two  Alcaic  hendekasyllables,  one  Alcaic  enneasyllable,  and 
one  Alcaic  decasyllabic.  The  following  imitation  by  the 
l)oet  laureate  of  England  is  given  : 

0  mighty  mouthed  inventOr  5f  harmfinles, 
0  skilled  t6  sing  5f  Time  6r  Eternity, 
G6d-gift6d  organ-voice  6f  England, 
Milt6n,  a  name  t6  resound  f6r  ag^s. 

Tennyson — ' '  Milton. ' ' 


1-2  THE  ART  OF  POETRY. 

The  Sapphic  meter  is  a  kind  ol  verse  said  to  have  been 
invented  by  Sappho,  a  Greek  poetess,  nearly  contempo- 
raneous with  Alkaios,  born  at  Mitylene,  in  the  Island  of 
Lesbos,  B.  C.  600.  The  Sapphic  verse  consisted  of  eleven 
syllables  in  five  feet,  of  which  the  first,  fourth  and  fifth  are 
trochees,  the  second  a  spondee,  and  the  third  a  dactyl. 
This  verse,  or  line,  is  thrice  repeated  and  followed  by  an 
Adonic.     The  following  lines  imitate  the  Sapphic  : 

Cold  w^s  ihS  night-wind,  drifting  fast  thfe  snow  fell, 
Wide  w6re  th6  downs,  &nd  shelterless  ftnd  naked, 
When  S  po6r  WanderSr  struggled  on  her  journey, 
Wear\'  ftnd  way-s6re. 

Soidhey — "The  Widow.' 

Here  is  still  another  imitation  of  this  measure  : 

All  the  night  sleep  came  not  tipon  my  eyelids, 
Shed  n6t  dew,  nor  shoOk  nor  Onclosed  a  feather. 
Vet  with  lips  shut  cl5se  and  with  eyes  6f  ir5n 
Stood  and  beheld  me. 

Swmburne — ' '  Sapphics. " 

Dr.  Watts  gives  a  vivid  picture  of  the  last  day,  in 
Sapphics  : 

Tears  the  str5ng  pillars  of  the  vault  6f  heaven, 
Breaks  tip  5ld  marble,  the  repose  6f  princes  ; 
See  the  graves  open,  and  the  bones  arising. 
Flames  311  around  them  ! 

Watts — "  The  Day  of  Judgment." 

Hexameter  verse  was  the  heroic  verse  of  the  classics. 
It  consists  of  six  feet  properly  dactyls,  the  last  of  which  is 
shortened  by  one  syllable  and  so  became  a  trochee,  or,  as 


IMITATION  OF  CLASSICAL  MEASURES. 


173 


the  final  syllable  is  long  by  position,  a  spondee.  This 
form  was  not  always  observed  strictly,  and  the  first  four 
feet  were  indifferently  dactyls  or  spondees,  the  former 
being  used  to  produce  the  idea  of  rapid,  the  latter  of  slow, 
laborious  movement.  The  fifth  foot  should  always  be  a 
dactyl,  sometimes,  though  rarely,  it  is  replaced  by  a  spon- 
dee, in  which  case  the  fourth  foot  must  be  a  dactyl. 


Ov6r  the  sea,  pSst  Crete,  6n  thS  SyrKSn  shore  t6  thg  southward. 
Dwells  In  th6  well-ttlled  lowland  a  dark-haired  ^thiSp  people, 
SkillfQl  with  needle  and  loom,  and  the  arts  6f  thfi  dyer  and  carver, 
Skillftil,  biit  feeble  6f   heart ;    fbr  they   know   n5t  th6  lords  6f 

OlympQs. 
Lovers  6f  men  ;   neither  br6ad-br6wed  Zeiis,  n5r  Pallas  Athene, 
Teacher  5f  wisd5m  t5  her6es,  bestower  6f  might  in  the  battle  ; 
Share  n6t  the  cunning  5f  Hermes,  n6r  list  t6  the  songs  6f  Apoll6. 

Kingsley — "Andromeda. ' ' 

These  lame  hexameters  thg  strong- winged  music  6f  Homer  ! 
No — bQt  a  most  bQrlesque  barbarotis  experiment. 
When  was  a  harsher  sound  ever  heard,  ye  Muses  6f  England  ? 
When  did  a  fr6g  coarser  croak  tipon  otir  Helicon  ? 
Hexameters  n6  worse  than  daring  Germany  gave  tis, 
BarSaroiis  experiment,  barbaroQs  hexameters. 

Tennyson — "  Hexameters  and  Pentameters." 


Art  thoti  s6  near  unt6  me,  and  yet  I  cann6t  behold  thee  ? 

Art  thoti  s6  near  unt6  me,  and  yet  thy  voice  d6es  n6t  reach  me  ? 

Ah  !  h6w  often  thy  feet  have  trod  this  path  t6  the  prairie  ! 

Ah  !   h6w  often  thine  eyes  have  looked  6n  the  woodlands  around 

me! 
Ah  !  h6w  often  beneath  this  oak,  returning  fr6m  !ab5r. 
Thou  hast  lain  d6wn  t6  rest  and  to  dream  6f  me  in  thy  slumbers  ! 
When  shall  these  eyes  behold,  these  arms  be  folded  about  thee  ? 
Loud  and  sudden  and  near  the  note  6f  a  whip-p6or-will  sounded 


174 


THE  ART  OF  POETRY. 


Like  §  flute  In  the  woods ;  and  Snon,  throQgh  the  neighboring 
thickets, 

Farther  and  farther  Sway  Tt  floated  and  dropped  int6  silence. 

"  Patience  !  "  whispered  the  oaks  fr6m  OracQlar  caverns  5f  dark- 
ness ; 

And,  fr6m  the  moonlit  meadOw,  a  sigh  responded."  T6m6rr6w  !  " 
Henry  Wadsworth  Longfellow — "Evangeline." 


A  Hendecasyllable  is  a  verse  of  eleven  syllables.  It  does 
not  occur  in  Horace.  In  Catullus  it  sometimes  has  a 
trochee  or  an  iambus  in  the  first  place. 


Example  (i) 

O  yoQ  chortis  6f  ind6lent  reviewers, 

irresponsible,  ind6lent  reviewers, 

Look,  I  come  tO  the  test,  a  tiny  poem 

All  c5mp6sed  in  a  meter  of  CatuUtis, 

All  in  quantit)^,  caref&l  of  my  motion. 

Like  the  skater  6n  ice  that  hardly  bears  him, 

Lest  1  fall  Qnawares  before  the  people. 

Waking  laughter  in  indolent  reviewers. 

Should  I  flounder  awhile  without  a  tiimble 

Thro'  this  metrificatiOn  of  CatiiUtls, 

They  shoGld  speak  t5  me  not  without  a  welcbme, 

All  that  chortis  5f  ind51ent  reviewers. 

Hard,  hard,  hard  is  it,  only  not  t5  tiimble, 

So  fantastical  is  the  dainty  meter. 

Wherefbre  slight  me  n6t  wholly,  nor  believe  me 

Too  presumptQoiis,  indftlent  reviewers. 

0  blatant  Magazines,  regard  me  rather — 

Since  1  blush  t6  belaud  myself  a  moment — 

As  some  rare  little  rose,  a  piece  5f  inmost 

Horticulttlral  art,  6r  half  c5quette-like 

Maiden,  not  t6  be  greeted  unbenignly. 

—  Tennyson — "  Hendecasyllabics." 


IMITATION  OF  CLASSICAL  MEASURES.  175 

Example  (2. 

In  thS  month  6f  tli<5  long  decline  5f  rosSs, 
I,  beholding  the  sunimfer  deail  hfefore  niC, 
Set  my  face  t5  lh6  sea,  And  journeyed  sil6nt, 
Gazing  eagerly  where,  above  th6  sea-mSrk, 
Flame  as  fierce  as  thS  fervid  eyes  5f  li5ns 
Half-divided  th6  eyelids  of  the  sunsSt ; 
Till  1  heard,  as  it  were,  a  noise  6f  watgrs 
Moving  tremQlotis  under  feet  5f  anggls 
MultitudinoQs,  out  5f  all  the  heavfins  ; 
Knew  the  flQttering  wind,  the  fluttered  foliage, 
Shaken  fitfQlly,  fiill  6f  sound  and  shad6w  ; 
And  saw,  trodden  Qpon  by  noiseless  angels. 
Long  mysterioQs  reaches  fed  with  moonlight. 
Sweet  sad  straits  in  a  soft  stlbsiding  channel, 
Blown  about  by  the  lips  5f  winds  I  knew  n6t, 
Winds  n5t  born  in  the  north  n5r  any  quarter. 
Winds  n5t  warm  with  the  south  n5r  any  sunshine  ; 
Heard  between  them  a  voice  6f  extiltati6n, 
"  L6,  the  summer  is  dead,  the  sun  is  faded. 
Even  like  as  a  leaf  the  year  is  withered. 
All  the  fruits  6f  the  day  fr5m  all  her  branches 
Gathered,  neither  is  any  left  t6  gather. 

Swinburne — "  Hendecasyllabics." 

What  the  ingenuity  of  man  may  yet  invent  is  hard  to 
tell.  We  may  say  therefore,  look  to  the  Greek  and  Latin 
measures  still  for  models,  some  ingenious  mortal  may  be 
richly  rewarded. 

It  is  claimed  Edgar  Allan  Poe  caught  the  inspiration  of 
the  rhythm  of  his  "  The  Raven,"  from  Latin  lines  : 

Once  Opon  a  midnight  dreary 
Lec-t6r  cast-e  cath-6-lic-e 
While  I  pondered  weak  and  weary. 
At-que  ob-ses  ath-let-ic-e. 


1/6 


THE  ART  OF  POETRY. 


This  same  great  master  of  English  rhythm  in  his 
"  Rationale  of  Verse, "  also  stated,  "That  if  he  were  per- 
mitted to  use  the  Spondee,  the  Trochee,  the  Iambus,  the 
Anapest  and  the  Dactyl,  together  with  the  Caesura,  he 
would  engage  to  scan  correctly  any  true  rhythm  human 
ingenuity  could  invent."  His  statement  after  years  of  time, 
who  can  gainsay  ? 


CHAPTER  XIL 


POETICAL  LICENSES. 

Many  are  the  peculiarities  and  licenses  granted  to  the 
writers  of  poetry,  not  accorded  to  the  writers  of  prose. 
These  peculiarities  add  a  charm  and  a  freshness  to  our  poetry 
and  are  employed  freely  by  the  best  writers,  and  this  free- 
dom is  often  necessary  to  meet  the  requirements  of  accent 
and  rhythm,  and  to  it  we  owe  much  of  the  beauty  of  poetry. 
Tliere  is  nothing  which  adds  more  grace  to  our  language 
than  these  peculiarities  of  speech,  and  every  student  of 
poetry  should  become  thoroughly  familiar  with  them. 
While  they  are  recognized  violations  of  the  regular  rules  of 
speech,  they  are  not  so  extensive  but  that  they  will  admit  of 
classitication.  These  peculiarities  are  usually  the  conceptions 
of  our  master  minds,  who  vary  from  the  regular  construction 
anei  become,  so  to  si^eak,  inventors  of  new  usages,  which 
afterwards  become  by  common  acceptance  recognized  licenses 
in  our  language. 

( I )   Poetry  differs  from  prose  in  the  fact  that  every  verse 
or  line  always  commences  with  a  capital  letter,  as  : 

Shall  he  alone,  whC)m  rational  w6  call, 

BS  blessed  with  nothing,  if  n5t  blessed  with  all? 

Pope —  "  Essay  on  Man." 


178 


THE  ART  OF  POETRY. 


(2)  For  the  sake  of  brevity  or  meter  the  article  is  not 
infrequently  omitted,  as  : 

What  dreadfQl  pleasQre  !     There  t6  stand  sQblime, 
Like  ship-wrecked  mariner  6n  desert  coast ! 

Beattie — ' '  The  Minstrel. ' ' 

(3)  Interjections  are  oftener  employed  in  poetry  than  in 
prose,  as  : 

0  gray  6bliviotis  Riv6r  ! 
0  sunset-kindled  River  ! 
D6  you  remember  ever 

The  eyes  Snd  skies  sO  blue 
6n  a  summer  day  that  shone  here, 
When  we  were  all  alone  here, 
And  the  blue  eyes  were  to5  wise 

T6  speak  the  love  they  knew  ? 

John  Nay — "The  River." 

(4)  The  noun  "  self"  is  introduced  after  another  noun  of 
the  possessive  case,  as  : 

Thoughtless  6f  beauty,  she  was  beauty's  self. 

ThofHson  —  "  The  Seasons. 

(5)  The  use  of  a  kind  of  compound  adjective  ending  in 
"  like,"  as  : 

The  proud  dictator  of  the  state-like  wood — 
I  mean  the  sovereign  of  all  plants,  the  oak — 
DroCps,  dies,  and  falls  without  the  cleaver's  stroke. 

Herrick — '"All  Things  Decay  and  Die." 

Who  swims  with  virttle,  he  shall  still  be  sure, 
tJlysses-like,  all  tempests  to  endure, 
And  'midst  a  thousand  gulfs  tO  be  secure. 

Herrick — "  No  Shipwreck  of  Virtue." 


POETICAL  LICENSES. 


179 


Crowned  with  trailing  plumes  5f  sablfi,  right  a-front  my^  standtng- 

place 
Moved  a  swarthy  oceSn-steamfir  in  h6r  storm-rfisisting  grace. 
Prbphit-rtke,  shS  clove  thg  watgrs  toward  thg  ancient  mothSr-land, 
And  I  heard  hSr  clamSroQs  engine  and  th6  ech6  of  c6mmand, 
While  thS  long  Atlantic  billSws  to  my  feet  cSme  rolling  on, 
With  the  miiltitudinotis  mOsic  of  S  thousand  ag^s  gone. 
Stedman — ' '  Flood -Tide. ' ' 

(6)  The  comparative  degree  is  used  joined  to  the  positive 
before  a  verb,  as  : 

"  Near  Snd  m6re  near  th6  intrepid  beaut5^  pressed  " 

Merrick. 

(7)  The  conjunctions  "or — or,"    and    "nor — nor"    are 
used  as  correspondents,  as  : 

N6t  all  the  autQmn's  riistling  gold, 
N6r  sun,  n5r  moon,  n5r  star  shall  bring 
The  joctind  spirit  which  6f  old 
Made  it  an  easy  joy  t6  sing  ! 

Aldrich — "  Song-Time." 

Th6  hand  6f  God  came  to  him,  and  hS  rose : 

"  G6  trench  thg  valley  ;  though  yoti  may  n5t  feel 
Or  wind  6r  rain,  th^  waters  shall  bg  poured 
ThroOghout  thS  camps  in  streams.     N6r  heed  thg  foes, 
F6r  M6ab  shall  bS  givgn  to  yoGr  steel, 
The  choicest  cities  spoiled,  th6  friiit  trefis  scored, 
Th6  wells  ch6ked  iip,  thS  gardens  marred  with  stones  !  " 

In  awe  thgy  heard  the  potent  words.     Alas, 
F6r  homes  foredoomed  t6  fall  with  evil  thrones, 
F6r,  as  h6  had  fbretold,  it  came  t6  pass  1 

Joseph  O'  Conner — "  Bring  Me  a  Minister." 

(8)  The  use  of  "  and — and  "  for  "  both — and,"  as  : 

"  And  the  starlight  and  moonlight." 


1 80  THE  AR  T  OF  FOE  TR  Y. 

(9)  The  preposition  is  placed  after  the  object,  as  : 

I  lounge  5(n  thS  ilgx  shadows, 
1  see  thS  lady  lean, 
Cnclasping  hgr  silkgn  girdlS, 
The  curtain's  folds  between. 

Aldrich—  ' '  Nocturne. ' ' 

(10)  Prepositions  and  their  adjuncts  are  not  unfrequently 
placed  before  the  words  on  which  they  depend,  as  : 

Against  yotir  fame  wJth  fondnfiss  hatec5mbines; 
The  rival  battSrs  and  the  lovSr  mines. 

Samuel  Johnson. 

(11)  Compound  epithets  are  frequently  used,  as  : 

Hebe's  hSre,  May  is  here  ! 
The  air  is  fresh  Snd  sunny  ; 
And  the  mis^r-bees  Sre  bus^ 
Hoarding  golden  honey. 

Aldrich — "  May." 

" Blue-iyed,  strdnge-vbiced,  shdrp-biaked,  ill-dmened  fowl 
What  art  thou  ?     '  What  I  5ugbt  t6  be,  an  owl.'  " 

(12)  Inversions  are  very  common  in  poetry,  as: 

Few  and  short  were  the  prayers  we  said. 
And  we  spoke  n6t  a  word  5f  sorr5w; 
Btit  we  steadfastly  gazed  5n  the  face  5f  the  dead, 
And  we  bitterly  thought  5f  the  morrOw. 

Charles  Wolfe — "  Burial  of  Sir  John  Moore." 

(13)  Superfluous  pronouns  are  freely  used,  as: 

There  came  a  burst  6f  thunder  sound  ; 

The  boy, —  fih  !  where  was  he? 
Ask  6f  the  winds,  that  far  around 

With  fragments  strewed  the  sea. 

Felicia  Henians — "  Casabianca." 


POETICAL  LICENSES.  jgi 

(14)  Foreign  idioms  are  not  unfrequently  used,  as  : 

"  F6r  not  t6  have  be^n  dipped  in  Lethfe  lake 
CoQld  save  th6  son  6f  Thetis yVow  tH  dle.^'' 

(15)  The  adjective  is  placed  after  the  noun,  as  : 

"Across  the  meadbws  bare  5nd  brown." 

(16)  The  adjective  is  placed  before  the  verb  "  to  be,"  as: 

"  Sweet  is  the  breath  6f  vemSl  showers." 

(17)  The  antecedent  is  not  infrequently  omitted,  as  : 

Wh6  nev^r  fasts,  n6  banquet  e'er  Snjoys, 
Who  nev6r  toils  6r  watches,  nev^r  sleeps. 

Armstrong. 

(18)  The  relative  is  omitted,  as  : 

"  'Tis  Fanc^  In  hfir  fiery  car, 
Transports  mS  to  the  thick&t  war. " 

(19)  The  verb  precedes  the  nominative,  as  : 

Th6n  shook  th6  hills  with  thunder  rivSn, 
Thgn  rushed  thg  steeds  t5  battle  driven. 
And  louder  than  thg  bolts  5f  heaven, 
Y^x  flashed  ^^  red  artillery. 

Thomas  Campbell — "  Hohenlinden." 

(20)  The  verb  follows  the  accusative,  as  : 

His  prayer  h6  sdith,  this  holy  man. 

Keats. 


I82 


THE  ART  OF  POETRY. 


(21)  The  infinitive  is  placed  before  the  word  on  which  it 
depends,  as  : 

When  first  thy  sire,  tH  send  6n  earth 
VirtQe,  his  darling  child,  designed. 

Thomas  Gray. 

(22)  The  use  of  the  first  and  third  persons  in  the  impera- 
tive mood,  as  : 

B}^  man's  peculiar  work  his  sole  delight. 

Beattie. 

TUrn  we  a  moment  fancy's  rapid  flight. 

Thomson. 

(23)  The  pronoun  is  expressed  with  the  imperative,  as  : 

"  H6pe  ihou  In  God." 

(24)  The  object  precedes  the  verb,  as  : 

Lands  he  coQld  meastire,  times  Snd  tides  presage. 

Goldsmith — "Deserted  Village." 

(25)  Adverbs  are  placed  before  the  words  which  they 
modify,  as  : 

The  plowman  homeward  plods  hts  weary  way. 

Gray's  Elegy. 

(26)  The     introductory     adverb     is     not     unfrequently 
omitted,  as  : 

was  naught  around  btit  images  6f  rest 

Thomson. 


POETICAL  LICENSES. 


183 


(27)  The  use  of  personal  pronouns  and  afterwards  intro- 
ducing their  nouns,  as  : 

It  curled  n6t  Tweed  alone,  that  breeze. 

Scott. 

(28)  The  use  of  the  second  person  singular  oftener  than 
prose  writers,  as  : 

Btit  thou,  6f  templfis  old,  6r  altars  new, 
Stdndist  alone — with  nothing  like  t6  thee. 

Lord  Byron. 

0  Lucifer,  thOu  son  6f  morn, 
Alike  5f  Heaven  and  man  th6  foe; 

Heaven,  mfin,  and  all, 

N5w  press  thy  fall. 
And  sink  thS  lowest  of  thS  low. 

Oliver  Goldsmith — "The  Captivity." 

(29)  The  use  of  antiquated  words  and  modes  of  expres- 
sion, as  : 

J6hn  Gilpin  was  a  citizen 
Of  credit  and  rSnown, 
A  train-band  captain  eke  was  he 
6f  famotis  L6nd6n  town. 
Cowper — "The  Diverting  History  of  John  Gilpin.'' 

(30)  The  use  of  many  words  not  used  by  prose  writers  or 
that  are  used  but  rarely  : 

(i)  Nouns,  as — benison,  boon,  emprise,  fane,  guerdon,  guise,  ire, 
ken,  lore,  meed,  sire,  steed,  welkin,  yore. 

(ii)  Adjectives,  as — azure,  blithe,  boon,  dank,  darkling,  dark- 
some, doughty,  dun,  fell,  rife,  rapt,  rueful,  sear,  sylvan,  twain, 
wan. 


1 84  THE  ART  OF  POETRY. 

(iii)  Verbs,  as — appall,  astound,  brook,  cower,  doff,  ken,  wend, 
ween,  trow. 

(iv)  Adverbs,  as — oft,  haply,  inly,  blithely,  cheerily,  deftly,  felly, 
rifely,  starkly. 

(v)  Prepositions,  as — adown,  aloft,  aloof,  anear,  aneath,  askant, 
aslant,  aslope,  atween,  atwixt,  besouth,  traverse,  thorough,  sans. 

(34)  The  formation  of  many  adjectives  in  y,  not  common, 
as  : 

Dimply,  dusky,  gleamy,  heapy,  moony,  paly,  sheety,  stilly,  spiry, 
steepy,  towery,  vasty,  writhy. 


PART  SECOND. 


CHAPTER  I. 


FIGURES  OF   SPEECH  COMMON    TO    POETRY. 


FIGURES  OF  ETYMOLOGY. 


Apheresis. 


The  cutting  off  of  one  or  more  letters  from  the  beginning 
of  a  word,  as  : 

'Neath  for  beneath,  'gan  for  began,  'gainst  for  against  'thout  for 
without,  'ghast  for  aghast,  'mazed  for  amazed,  'fore  for  before, 
'feeble  for  enfeeble,  'dure  for  endure,  'venge  for  avenge,  'Nelope 
for  Penelope,  'sdained  for  disdained,  'Frisco  for  San  Francisco, 
woe's  for  woe  is,  he's  for  he  is,  what's  for  what  is.  'twas  for  it  was, 
I'll  for  I  will,  she's  gone  for  she  is  gone,  devil's  for  devil  is,  she'll 
for  she  will,  world's  for  world  is,  I'm  for  I  am,  you're  for  you  are, 
there's  for  there  is,  I'd  for  I  would,  soul's  for  soul  is. 

The  gl6w-w6rm  shows  th6  mattn  to  bg  near, 
And  'gins  t5  pale  hts  ineftectoal  fire. 

Shakespeare — "  Hamlet. 'Act  5." 

Thg  moon's  th6  earth's  Snamotired  bride  ; 
True  t6  him  In  hfir  very  changes, 
T6  other  stars  sh6  nevfir  ranggs  : 
Though,  crossed  by  him,  s5metimes  sh6  dips 
H6r  light  in  short,  6ffended  pride. 
And  faints  t6  an  Sclipse. 

Campbell— y  Moonlight." 
J  87 


133  THE  AR  T  OF  POE  TR  V. 

ApocoPi: 

Is  ihe  elision  of  a  letter  or  letters  at  the  end  of  a  word,  as: 

The'  for  though,  th'  for  the,  t'other  for  the  other,  thro'  fi>r 
through,  Pont'  for  Pontus,  Lucrece  for  Lucretia,  obstruct  for 
obstruction,  Per  for  Persia,  Ind  for  India,  Adon  for  Adonis,  conduct 
for  conductor,  amaze  for  amazement,  Moroc  for  Morocco,  addict 
for  addicted,  Pat  for  Patrick,  wretch  for  wretched,  sads  for  saddens, 
suit  for  sultr}',  swelt  for  swelter,  potates  for  potatoes,  after  for 
afterwards. 

W6e  !  woe  !  feach  heart  shall  bleed — shall  break  ! 
ShS  would  have  hung  tJpon  his  neck, 

Had  h&  come  but  yest6r-ev6n  ; 
And  he  had  clasped  th5se  peerl&s  charms 
That  shall  nevSr,  nevSr  fill  his  arms, 

Or  meet  him  but  in  heaven. 

Campbell — "The  Brave  Roland." 

BQt  time  will  teach  the  Russ,  $v'n  conquering  War 
Has  handmaid  arts. 

Campbell — "The  Power  of  Russia." 

Epenthesis. 

Is  the  inserting  of  a  letter  or  letters  in  the  middle  of  a 
word,   as  : 

.     The  wearied  sentinel 
At  eve  may  overlook  the  crouching  foe, 
Till,  ere  his  hand  can  sound  the  aiartlm  bell, 

He  sinks  bSneath  thg  unexpected   blow; 
Before  the  whisker  of  grimalkin  fell, 

When  slumbering  on  her  post,  the  mouse  may  go  ; 
Btit  woman,  wakeftil  woman's  never  weary  ; 
Above  all,  when  she  waits — 16  thump  her  deary. 

R.  H.  Rarham. 


FIGURES  OF  SPEECH.  1 89 

"U"  is  inserted  in  "alarum."  The  "y"  at  the  end 
of  the  word  "  dear-y "  furnishes  also  a  fine  example  of 
Annexation  or  Paragoge. 

Paragoge. 

Is  the  annexing  of  an  expletive  syllable  to  a  word.  A 
satire  on  Sir  John  Suckling  furnishes  us  a  fine  exam]  le  of 
this  figure.  Sir  John  Suckling  was  a  courtier  and  poet  at 
tlie  court  at  the  time  of  King  Charles  I,  in  the  seventeenth 
century.  He  was  v\  ell  educated  and  refined  in  his  taste  for 
that  day,  writing  the  purest  and  brightest  poetry  of  his 
time.  Sir  John,  in  response  to  a  call  from  his  majesty,  the 
King,  raised  a  troop  of  one  hundred  men  and  equipped 
them  at  a  cost  of  sixty  thousand  dollars.  Gaily  caparisoned 
as  were  his  troops,  they  ran  off  the  field  at  the  first  approach 
of  the  Scotch  covenanters  in  their  first  and  only  skirmish. 
Some  one  given  to  satire  thus  describes  Sir  John.  It  will 
be  noticed  annexation  assists  the  ridicule  intended  with 
pleasing  effect  : 

"Sir  John,  h6  got  him  Sn  ambltng  nag, 

T6  Scotland  for  t5  ride-S, 
With  S  hundr&d  h5rse  more,  SU  his  own  h6  swore, 

T6  guard  him  6n  every  side-a." 


Another  stanza  runs  thus 


"The  ladies  ran  all  tft  th6  windows  tft  see 
S6  gallant  and  warlike  his  sight-a, 

And  as  he  pr(5ssed  by  thSy  cried  with  a  sigh, 
'  Sir  John  why  will  you  g5  fight-a  ? '  " 


190 


THE  ART  OF  POETR\. 


Prosthesis 


The  prefixing  of  one  or  more  letters  to  the  beginning  of  a 
word,  as : 

Amid  for  mid,  yclept,  yclad,  ypowdered. 

L6t  fall  ddown  hTs  silver  beard  s6me  tears. 

Thomson. 

The  ground  wis  green,  ypowSred  with  the  daisy. 

Chaucei . 

Syncope. 

Is  the  elision  of  a  letter  or  letters   from   the  middle  of  a 
word,  as  : 

Ca't  for  called,  r'ally  for  really,  med'cine  for  medicine,  e'en  for 
even  or  evening,  o'er  for  over,  conq'ring  for  conquering,  s'en  night 
for  seven  night,  ha'  penny  for  half  penny,  de'il   for  devil. 

First,  then,  a  womSn  will,  6r  won't,  depend  6n't ; 
If  she  will  do't,  she  will ;  and  there's  Sii  end  6n't. 
Btit  if  she  won't,  since  safe  find  sound  yoOr  trust  Is, 
Fear  IS  affront,  Snd  jealofi^y  tinjust  Is. 

Hill—"  Woman. ' ' 

SVNAERESIS. 

Is  the  joining  together  of  two  syllables  with  one,  as  : 
I'll  for  I  will,  'tis  for  it  is,  spok'st  for  spokest. 

Only  a  little  more 

I  have  to  write, 

Then  I'll  give  o'er, 
And  bid  the  world  goftd-night. 


FIGURES  OF  SPEECH.  igj 

'TKs  but  a  flytng  minOte 

That  I  mtist  stay, 

Or  linger  In  Jt ; 
And  then  I  must  Sway. 

Herrick. 

Tmesis. 

The  inserting  of  a  word  between  the  parts  of  a  compound 
or  between  two  words  which  should  be  united  if  they  stood 
together,  as: 

Yoti  say  t6  me-wards  your  affecti6n's  strong  ; 
PrSy  love  mS  a  little,  so  you  love  mS  long. 
Slowly  g6es  f  arre  ;  thS  meane  is  best ;  dSsire 
Gr6wn  vi61ent,  d5's  either  die,  6r  tire. 

Herrick. 

FIGURES  OF  SYNTAX. 

Ellipsis. 

An  omission  ;  a  figure  by  which  one  or  more  words  are 
omitted,  which  the  hearer  or  reader  can  supply,  and  which 
are  necessary  to  a  full  construction  of  a  sentence.  Words 
thus  omitted  are  said  to  be  understood.  It  is  a  figure  very 
common  in  the  language,  and  serves  to  avoid  repetitions. 
When,  however,  the  ellipsis  would  have  a  tendency  to 
obscure  the  meaning  or  weaken  the  force  of  the  sentence  it 
should  be  avoided.  The  ellipsis  may  be  of  the  substantive, 
adjective,  article,  pronoun,  verb,  adverb,  preposition  or 
conjunction.  The  following  is  an  excellent  illustration  of 
this  figure  : 

One  mOre  tinforttinate, 

Weary  of  breath  ; 
Rashly  importfinate , 

Gone  t6  h^r  death. 

Hood — "  Bridge  of  Sighs." 


192 


THE  ART  OF  POETRY. 


In  the  following  couplet  the  antecedent  pronoun  is 
omitted,  as  : 

Wh6  has  n6  inwSrd  beauty,  none  perceives, 
Th6ugh  all  around  be  beautlfill. 

Richard  Henry  Dana. 

One  of  our  greatest  American  poets  in  his  conception  of 
the  wild  mystic,  furnishes  in  the  stanza  following  an  instance 
of  the  omission  of  the  verb  : 

Once  Qpon  a  midnight  dreary,  while  I  pondered  weak  and  weary 
Over  many  a  quaint  and  curiotls  voltime  of  forgotten  lore. 
While  I  nodded  nearly  napping,  suddenly  there  came  a  tapping. 
As  6f  some  One  gently  rapping,  rapping  at  my  chamber  door  ; 

Only  this  and  nothing  more. 
Edgar  Allan  Foe — "The  Raven." 

The  subject  of  the  verb  is  often  omitted,  as  in  the  follow- 
ing stanza  : 

Did  the  green  isles 

Detain  thee  long?    Or  'mid  the  palmy  groves 

Of  the  bright  South,  where  NatQre  ever  smiles, 

Didst  sing  thy  loves 

Pickering. 

The  following  will  serve  as  an  example  of  the  omission  of 
the  participle  : 

His  knowledge  meastired  to  his  state  and  place. 
His  time  a  moment,  and  a  point  his  space. 

Alexander  Pope. 

An  Ellipsis  of  the  adverb  : 

She  shows  a  body  rather  than  a  life  ; 
A  statQe  than  a  brother. 

Shakespeare — "  Anthony  and  Cleopatra." 


FIGURES  OF  SPEECH.  193 

Enallage 

Is  the  use  of  one  part  of  speech,  or  of  one  modification 
for  another. 

(i)   Substituting  a  noun  for  an  adjective  : 

From  thy  Glory-throne. 

Palgrave. 

Glory-throne  used  instead  of  glorious  throne,  Seraph- 
sound  for  Seraphic  sound,  Carthage-queen  for  Carthagenian 
queen. 

(2)   A  phrase  for  a  noun  : 

C6me,  cuddle  yotir  head  6n  my  shouldSr,  dear, 

Your  head  Itke  the  g6ld6n-r6d, 
And  wS  will  g5  sailing  away  fr6m  here 

T6  the  beautifiil  Land  6f  Nod. 
Away  fr6m  life's  hurry,  ftnd  flurry,  Snd  worr>f, 

Away  fr5m  garth's  shad5ws  and  glooin, 
T6  a  world  6f  fair  weathSr  wS'll  float  Sff'tOgethSr, 

Where  roses  are  always  in  bloom. 
Ella  Wheeler  Wilcox — "The  Beautiful  Land  of  Nod." 

' '  Land  of  Nod  ' '  is  here  substituted  for  the  noun  '  'sleep. ' ' 

Had  she  told  me  fifty  shillings, 

I  might  (and  wouldn't  yoii?  ) 
Have  referred  t6  that  dress  in  a  way  f51ks  express 

By  an  elSquent  dash  5r  two  ; 
BOt  the  guilefftl  little  creattire 

Knew  well  her  tactics  when 
She  ciisually  said  that  that  dream  in  red 

Had  cost  biit  two  p6unds  ten. 

Eugene  Field — "The Tea-Gown." 


194  THE  ART  OF  POETRY. 

(3)  The  use  of  an  adverb  for  a  noun  : 

To  the  land  6f  the  hereafter. 

Longfellow — "  Hiawatha. " 

The  adverb  "  hereafter  "  used  as  a  noun,  viz  :  to  heaven. 

A  better  Where  t5  find. 

Shakespeare. 
VVhere  instead  of  place  or  home. 

(4)  Noun  for  a  verb  : 

"I'll  queen  ?/ no  inch  farther." 
Viz  :    I'll  walk  or  go  no  inch  farther. 

Bedawn  ftur  sky. 

Shakespeare. 

Dawn,  a  noun,  changed  to  a  verb  by  prefix  be-dawn. 

Noun  for  a  verb  : 

CrimsSned  with  flowers  Snd  dark  with  leafji'  shade. 

Vaughan. 

(5)  An  adjective  for  a  noun  : 

Thy  path  is  high  Qp  in  heaven  ;  we  cannOt  gaze 
On  the  Intense  Hf  light  th.1t  girds  thy  car. 

Percival — "Apostrophe  to  the  Sun." 
Viz  :   the  sun. 

(6)  An  adjective  for  a  verb  : 

It  tanks  the  cheek  Snd  pales  the  freshest  sight. 

Giles  Fletcher. 

This  day  will  gentli  his  c6nditi5n. 

Shakespeare. 


FIGURES  OF  SPEECH. 


195 


(7)  An  eighth  variety  is  to  compare  with  -er  and  -est  adjec- 
tives that  are  compared  by  more  and  most,  or  vice  versa. 

T6  hear  yoQr  most  sweSt  music  mirScle. 

Mrs.  E.  B.  Browning — "Seraphim." 

(8)  An  adjective  for  an  adverb  : 

BGt  soft !  methitiks  1  scent  th6  morning's  air. 

Shakespeare — "  Hamlet,  Act  i,  Scene  5." 

Wh6n  soft  wSs  th6  sun. 

"Piers  Plowman." 
Soft  for  softly. 

(9)  A  noun  and  a  preposition  for  an  adjective. 

A  thing  5f  beauty  is  S  joy  f5rev6r. 

Keats. 
Of  beauty  for  a  beauteous  thing. 

(10)  A  preposition  for  an  adjective  : 

WTth  the  spleen 
Of  all  the  und'&r  fiends. 

Shakespeare. 

(i  1 )  An  adverb  for  a  jjronoun  : 

Where  Sgainst 
W^  grained  ash  <1  hundred  times  hSth  V^roke. 

Shakespeare. 

(12)  A  preposition  is  used  for  a  noun  : 

0  not  like  me 

F6r  mine's  beyond  Beyond. 

Shakespeare. 


I g6  THE  ART  OF  POE  TR  } '. 

(13)  Adverb  and  a  preposition  in  place  of  a  preposition  : 

F6rthatl  am  s5me  twelve  6r  fourteen  moonshines  Za^^  a  brother. 

Shakespeare. 

(14)  A  verb  is  used  as  a  noun  : 

With  everj?  gale  Snd  vary  of  their  masters. 

Shakespeare. 

(15)  An  adjective  used  as  a  participle  : 

Let  the  blQat  king  tempt  you. 

Shakespeare. 

(16)  Usages  similar  to  "  Meseems  :  " 

Methinks  her  patient  sons  before  me  stand. 

Goldsmith — "  Traveler. ' ' 

(17)  Change   of  prepositions.       Using    "of"    instead  of 
"by:" 

I  am  s5  wrapt,  And  thorSughly  lapt 
Of  jolly  good  ale  <1nd  old. 

John  Still. 

(18)  Participles  are   turned   into    adjectives    and    actions 
ascribed  to  them  which  do  not  belong  10  them,  as  : 

Where  smiling  spring  its  earliest  visit  paid, 

And  parting  summer's  lingering  blooms  delayed. 

Goldsmith — "  Deserted  Village." 

And  passing  rich  with  forty  pounds  ,1  year. 

Goldsmith — "  Deserted  Village." 


FIGURES  OF  SPEECH.  I97 

(19)  The  use  of  transitive  verbs  as  intransitive,  as  : 

This  minstrSl-god,  w^U-pleased,  Smid  th6  choir 
Sto6d  proud  t6  hymn,  Snd  tune  his  youthf&l  lyre. 

Pope. 

(20)  The  use  of  intransitive  verbs  as  transitive,  as  : 

LSng  after  kenned  6n  Carrtck  shore ; 
F6r  mony  a  beast  16  dead^\^^  shot. 
And  perished  mony  S  bonnte  boat. 

Burns — "Tarn  O'Shanter." 

Still  in  hSrmonTotis  intercourse,  thgy  lived 
The  rural  day,  ftnd  talked  tii6  flowing  heart. 

Thomson. 

(21)  The  use  of  the  auxihary  after  its  principal,  as  : 

The  man  wh6  suffers,  loudly  may  c6mplain; 
And  rage  hS  may,  btit  he  shall  rage  Kn  vain. 

Pope. 

(22)  The  use  of  can,  could  and  would  as  principal  verbs 
transitive,  as  : 

Wh&t  wouldxWys,  man  ?     N5w  upward  will  hS  soar, 
And,  little  less  th.ln  angel,  would  be  more. 

Pope. 

HVPERBATON    OR    INVERSION. 

A  figurative  construction  inverting  the  natural  and  proper 
order  from  words  and  sentences.  The  following  stanza 
furnishes  us  with  a  fine  example  : 


198  THE  ART  OF  POETRY. 

In  England  rlvSrs  all  Sre  males, 

F6r  instance,  Father  Thames  ; 
Wh6ev6r  in  C51umbiS  sails 

Finds  them  mamselles  Snd  dames. 
YSs,  there  thS  softer  sex  presides — 

Aquatic,  I  assure  yoti ; 
And  Mrs.  Sippy  rolls  hfer  tides 

Responsive  to  Miss  Souri. 

James  Smith. 


Milton  furnishes  us  a  fine  example  of  an  inversion  at  the 
very  commencement  of  his  great  epic  : 

Of  man's  first  dis6bedience  and  the  fruit 
Of  that  forbidden  tree,  wh6se  mortal  taste 
Brdught  death  into  the  world  and  all  6ur  woe, 
Sing,  heavenlj?  Muse. 

"  Paradise  Lost." 

Pleonasm. 

The  use  in  speaking  or  writing  of  more  words  than  are 
necessary  to  express  the  thought.  From  Thomas  Hood  ue 
have  the  following,  in  the  second  line  Pleonasm  can  be 
detected: 

And  when  I  speak,  my  voice  is  weak  ; 

BOt  hers,  she  makes  a  gong  of  it  ; 
F5r  I  am  small  and  she  is  tall. 

And  that's  the  short  and  long  of  it 

Syllepsis. 

A  figure  of  speech  by  which  we  conceive  the  sense  of 
words  otherwise  tha,n  the  words  import,  and  construe  them 


FIGURES  OF  SPEECH. 


199 


according  to  the  intention  of  the  author — the  taking  ol 
words  in  two  senses  at  once,  the  hteral  and  the  metaphorical. 
The  following  is  an  example  of  this  figure  : 

While  Providence  stlpports, 

Let  saints  securely  dwell ; 
That  hand  which  bears  all  Nattire  up, 

Shall  guide  his  children  well. 

Philip  Doddridge. 


FIGURES  OF  RHETORIC. 

Allegory. 

Is  the  narration  of  fictitious  events,  designed  to  represent 
and  illustrate  important  realities.  It  is  continued  metaphor, 
representing  objects  and  events  that  are  intened  to  be  sym- 
bolical of  other  objects  and  events  having  usually  moral  and 
spiritual  character. 

The  following  beautiful  allegory  by  Longfellow,  starting 
with  the  metaphorical  representation  of  the  state  as  a  ship, 
expands  the  metaphor  into  a  complete  description  : 

Th6u  too,  sail  on,  0  Ship  6f  State  ! 
sail  on,  6  Uni6n,  strong  and  great ! 
HQniaiiity,  with  all  its  fears. 
With  all  its  hopes  6f  futGre  years. 
Is  hanging  breathless  on  thy  fate  ! 
we  know  what  Master  laid  thy  keel. 
What  Workmen  wrought  thy  ribs  5f  steel, 
Wh6  made  each  mast,  and  sail,  and  rope. 
What  anvils  rang,  what  hammers  beat. 
In  what  a  forge  and  what  a  heat 
Were  shaped  the  anchSrs  of  thy  hope  ! 
Fear  not  each  sudden  sound  and  shock  — 
'Tis  of  the  wave  and  not  the  rock  ; 


200  THE  ART  OF  FOE  77?  Y. 

'TIs  but  the  flapping  of  th6  sail, 

And  not  a  rent  mSde  by  thS  gale  ! 

In  spite  5f  rock  and  tempest's  roar, 

In  spite  6f  false  lights  on  th6  shore, 

SSil  on,  n5r  fear  t6  breast  thfi  sea  ! 

Our  hearts,  6ur  hopes,  Sre  all  with  thee, 

dur  hearts,  6ur  hopes,  5ur  prayers,  5ur  tears, 

6ur  faith  triumphant  o'er  6ur  fears. 

Are  all  with  thee  !  Sre  all  with  thee  ! 

Apostrophe. 

Literally  a  turning  away  from  the  natural  course  of  one's 
thoughts  or  ideas  to  address  the  absent  or  dead  as  if  present, 
former  ages,  future  ages,  some  person  or  thing.  It  is 
closely  allied  to  Personification  with  which  it  is  often  com- 
bined. Objects  personified,  however,  are  not  addressed  ; 
objects  apostrophized  are  addressed. 

RftU  on,  th6u  deep  5nd  dark  blQe  ocean, — roll  ! 

Ten  thousand  fleets  sweep  over  thee  in  vain  ; 

Man  marks  thg  earth  with  riiin, — his  c6ntr61 

St6ps  with  the  shore;— Qpon  the  watery  plain 

ThS  wrecks  are  all  thy  deed,  n5r  doth  remain 

A  shadow  of  man's  ravage,  save  his  own, 

When,  for  a  moment,  like  a  drop  6f  rain, 

He  sinks  into  thy  depths  with  bubbling  groan. 

Without  a  grave,  tinknelled,  Oncoffined,  and  tinknown. 

Byron — "  Childe  Harold. 

R511  on,  ye  stars  !     Exult  in  youthfQl  prime  ; 
Mark  with  bright  curves  the  printless  steps  5f  Time. 
Near  and  m5re  near  yotir  beamy  cars  approach, 
And  lessening  orbs  fin  lessening  orbs  encroach. 
Flowers  6f  the  sky  !      ye  too  t6  age  mftst  yield. 
Frail  as  yoQr  silken  sisters  of  the  field  ! 


FIGURES  OF  SPEECH. 


20I 


Star  aftSr  star  fr6m  heaven's  high  arch  shSll  rush, 
Stins  sink  5n  suns,  Snd  systems  systems  crush, 
Till  o'er  the  wreck,  Emerging  from  the  storm, 
Immortal  natQre  lifts  hSr  changeftil  form  ; 
Mounts  from  her  fianeral  pyre  6n  wings  6f  flame, 
And  soars  5nd  shines,  another  and  the  same. 

Erasmus  Darwin. 


Ay,  tear  her  tattered  ensign  down  ! 

L6ng  has  it  waved  6n  high, 
And'many  an  eye  has  danced  t5  see 

That  banner  in  the  sky  ; 
Beneath  it  rung  the  battle-shout. 

And  burst  the  cannSn's  roar  ; 
The  meteOr  of  the  ocean  air 

Shall  sweep  the  clouds  n6  more  ! 

Holmes — "  Old  Ironsides." 


Hail,  holy  Light,  offspring  5f  Heaven  first-born  ! 
6r  of  the  Eternal  co-eternai  beam 
May  I  express  thee  Qnblamed  ?  since  God  is  light, 
And  never  but  in  iinapproached  light 
Dwelt  from  eternity,  dwelt  then  in  thee. 
Bright  effiiience  6f  bright  essence  increate  ! 
Or  hear'st  th6u  rather  pure  ethereal  stream, 
VVh5se  fountain  who  shall  tell  ? 

Miltoti — '•  Paradise  Lost. 


ANAPHORA. 

Is  the  repetition  of  a  word  at  the  beginning  of  several 
clauses  of  a  sentence.  It  is  thus  repeated  that  the  mind 
may  be  more  distinctly  impressed  with  the  idea  or  thought, 
as  : 


202  THE  AR  7    OF  POE  TR  Y. 

(I). 

All  natiire  is  bdt  art,  tinknown  t5  thee  ; 

All  chance,  direction,  which  th6u  canst  n6t  see  ; 

All  <Jisc6rd,  harmOny  n6t  understood  ; 

All  partial  evil,  universal  good  ; 

And  spite  5f  pride,  in  erring  reas5n's  spite, 

One  truth  is  clear.  Whatever  is,  is  right. 

Pope — "  Essay  on  Man." 

(2). 

S6metimes  th6  linnSt  piped  his  song  ; 

sometimes  thg  throstle  whistled  strong  ;' 
sometimes  the  sparhawk,  wheeled  along, 

Htished  all  the  groves  fr6m  fear  6f  wrong. 

Tennyson — "Sir  Launcelot  and  Queen  Guinevere." 

(3). 

There  is  a  rest  f5r  all  things.     On  still  nights 

There  is  a  folding  of  a  milliOn  wings — 
The  swarming  honey-bees  in  tinknown  woods, 
The  speckled  butterflies,  and  downy  broods 

In  dizzy  poplar  heights  ; 
Rest  for  innumerable  nameless  things. 
Rest  for  the  creatilres  underneath  the  Sea, 
And  in  the  Earth,  and  in  the  starry  Air — 
Why  will  it  not  tinburden  me  5f  care  ? 
It  comes  t5  meaner  things  than  my  despair. 
0  wear5^,  weary  night,  that  brings  n5  rest  t5  me  ! 

Aldrich — "  Invocation  to  Sleep." 

ANTITHESIS. 

A  contrast  by  which    each   of  the   contrasted   things   is 
rendered  more  striking  : 


FIGURES  OF  SPEECH.  203 

On  parent  knees,  S  naked  new-b5rn  child, 
Weeping  th6u  sat'st,  while  all  around  the6  smiled  ; 
S6  live,  that  sinking  in  thy  last,  16ng  sleep, 
Th5u  then  may'st  smile,  while  all  around  theg  weep. 

Sir  Williatn  Jones. 

EPANALEPSIS. 

Is  a  fioure  by  which  a  sentence  ends  with  the  same  word 
with  which  it  begins  : 

(I). 

Fare  thefi  well,  and  if  fSrevfir, 

Still  fOrevSr  fare  theS  well  ; 
Evgn  though  iinf5rgiving  nev^r 

'Gainst  the6  shall  my  heart  rfebel. 

Byron—''  To  His  Wife." 

(2). 

Th6y  questiSned  each  th6  other 

What  Brahma's  answgr  meant, 
said  VivSchumQ,  "  Brother, 
Throiigh  Brahma  the  great  Mother 

Hath  spoken  her  intent : 

''MUn  ends  as  he  b^gan, — 
The  shad6w  on  the  water  is  all  there  is  6f  man  ! ' ' 

Richard  Henry  Stoddard. — "  Brahma's  Answer." 

EPIGRAM. 

It  is  a  statement  in  which  there  is  an  apparent  contradic- 
tion between  the  form  of  the  expression  and  the  meaning 
really  intended.  The  force  of  the  epigram  lies  in  the 
pleasant  surprise  attendant  upon  the  perception  of  the  real 
meaning  : 


204  TliE  ART  OF  POE  TR  V. 

(I). 

Mf  wonder  is  reSllS^  boundless, 
That  among  th^  queSr  cas6s  w^  try, 

A  land  cSse  shOuld  oftfin  h&  groundless, 
'And  a  wat6r-case  always  b6  dry  ! 

Sa:ire — "  On  a  Famous  Water-Suit." 

(2). 

Swans  sing  before  they  die,  'lw6re  no  bad  thing 
Did  certain  persOns  die  before  they  sing. 

S.  T.  Coleridge. 

EPIZEUXIS. 

The  repetition  of  a  word  or  words  for  the  sake  of  em' 
phasis  : 

(I). 

The  isles  6f  Greece,  the  ISLES  6F  GREECE, 
Where  burning  Sapph6  loved  and  sung, 
Where  grew  the  arts  6f  war  and  peace. 
Where  Del6s  rose  and  PhoebQs  sprung — 
Eternal  siimmer  gilds  them  yet, 
BQt  all  except  their  siin  is  set. 

Byron. 

(2). 

An  example  of  double  affirmation  : 

"  Falsel>^,  falsely  have  ye  done, 
(y  mother,"  she  said,  "  if  this  be  true 
T5  keep  the  best  man  under  the  siin 
S6  many  years  fr5m  his  diae." 

Tennyson — "  Lady  Clare." 


FIGURES  OF  SPEECH.  20S 

(3). 

Laugh,  and  th6  world  laughs  with  yoQ, 

Weep,  and  yoQ  weep  alone", 
F6r  the  sad  61d  earth  miist  borrSw  its  mirth, 

Bflt  has  trouble  Enough  6f  its  own. 
Sing,  and  th6  hills  will  answer. 

Sigh,  it  is  lost  6n  thg  air ; 
The  echoes  bound  t6  a  joyftil  sound, 

BQt  shrink  fr6m  voicing  care. 

Ella  Wheeler  Wilcox — ' '  Solitude. ' ' 

(4). 

"  The  fault  was  mine,  th6  fault  was  mine  " — 
Why  am  I  sitting  here  s6  stunned  and  still. 
Plucking  the  harmless  wild-fl5wer  on  the  hill  ? 
It  is  this  guilty  hand  ! 

Tennyson — ' '  Maud. " 

(5). 

Mtist  ye  wait  ?     MQst  ye  wait  ? 
Till  they  ravage  her  gardens  5f  orange  and  palm. 
Till  her  heart  is  dust,  till  her  strength  is  water  ? 
Mtist  ye  see  them  trample  her,  and  be  calm 

As  priests  when  a  virgin  is  led  t6  slaughter  ? 
Shall  they  smite  the  marvel  of  all  lands, — 

The  Nation's  longing,  the  earth's  completeness,  — 
On  her  red  mOuth  dropping  myrrh,  her  hands 
Filled  with  fruitage  and  spice  and  sweetness  ? 
MQst  ye  wait  ? 

Stedman — "  Cuba. ' ' 

EROTESIS  OR  INTERROGATION. 

Is  an  animated  or  passionate  interrogation.    Interrogation 
in  its  primary  sense  is  the   asking   of  a    question,    and  an 


2o6  T^^  ^^T  OF  POETRY. 

answer  would  be  expected.  When  declarative  sentences 
are  expressed  in  the  interrogative  lorm,  no  answer  is 
expected  ;  for  the  statement  is  made  thereby  more  emphatic 
and  convincing. 

The  negative  interrogation  affirms — an  affirmative  denies. 
An  interrogative  sentence  should  always  be  followed  by  a 
question  mark. 

can  storied  urn,  6r  animated  bust, 

Back  to  Jts  mansiSn  call  th6  fleeting  breath  ? 

can  honSr's  voice  pr6voke  the  silent  dust, 
Or  flatte?y  soothe  the  dull  c5ld  ear  6f  death  ? 

Gray — "Elegy." 

ECPHONESIS. 

Is  an  animated  or  passionate  exclamation,  generally  indi- 
cated by  such  interjections  as  O  !  oh  !  ah  !  alas  ! 

(I). 

0  my  sOul's  joy. 

If  after  every  tempest  comes  stich  calms, 

May  the  winds  blow  till  they  have  wakened  death  • 

Shakespeare — "Othello." 

Pope  illustrates  well  one  of  the  ruling  passions  that  con- 
tinue  not  only  throughout  life  but  even  unto  death  : 

(2)- 

"  Odiohs  !  In  woolen  !  'Twould  a  saint  pr6v6ke  !  " 
were  the  last  words  that  poor  Narcissa  spoke. 
"  N5,  let  a  charming  chintz  and  Brussels  lace 
Wrap  my  c61d  limbs,  and  shade  my  lifeless  face. 
One  would  n5t,  sure,  be  frightffll  when  6ne's  dead  ; 
And,  Betty,  give  this  cheek  a  little  red." 


FIGURES  OF  SPEECH.  207 

"  I  give  and  I  dSvise,"  51d  EucliS  said 
And  sighed,   "my  lands  find  tenements  t6  Ned." 
"  Yoflr  mongy,  sir  ? "  "  My  mongy,  sir  ?  What!  all? 
Why,  if  I  miist  (thSn  wept),  I  give  t6  Paul — " 
"ThSmanSr,  sir?"  "Th6man5r?    Hold  !"  he  cried ; 
"  N5t  that— I  cann6t  part  with  that !  "  and  died. 

(3)- 

A  horse  !  a  horse  !     My  kingdSm  for  a  horse  ! 

Shakespeare — "  King  Richard  III." 

EUPHEMISM. 

Is  the  suppression  of  a  harsh  or  obnoxious  word  or  phrase, 
by  substituting  a  word  or  phrase  in  its  place  that  is  deHcate, 
yet  expressing  the  same  meaning  : 

(I). 

Worn  6ut  with  anguish,  toil,  and  cold,  and  hunger, 
Down  sQnk  the  wandSrSr;  sleep  had  seized  her  senses. 
There  did  the  traveler  find  her  in  the  morning  : 
God  had  released  her. 

Soiithey — "  The  Widow. ' ' 

From  Burns  we  have  the  following  : 

(2). 

An  honest  wabster  to  his  trade, 
Whase  wife's  twa  neives  were  scarce  weei-bred. 

(3)- 

0,  fear  nOt  in  a  world  like  this. 
And  thou  shalt  know  ere  long, — 
Kn5w  how  sublime  a  thing  it  is 
T6  sviffer  and  be  strong. 

Longfello-cu — "The  Lightof  the  Stars." 


2o8  THE  ART  OF  POETRY. 

HEARING. 

Is. a  figure  akin  to  vision.  The  speaking  doubtfully  of 
some  sound  that  has  been  heard  at  the  present  or  just  before 
apparently  indistinct,  but  which  proves  to  be  the  distant  roar 
of  cannon,  of  thunder,  or  something  real.  Byron's  Waterloo, 
taken  from  Childe  Harold,  is  one  of  the  finest  examples  of 
the  figure  : 

Did  ye  n6t  hear  it?    No  !  'twSs  but  the  wind, 

Or  the  car  rattling  o'er  thg  stony  street ; 

On  with  the  dance  !     LSt  joy  bg  unc5nfined  ; 

N5  sleep  till  morn,  when  Youth  and  Pleasure  meet 

T5  chase  th6  glowing  hours  with  flying  feet. 

BCit  hark  !     That  heavy  sound  breaks  in  5nce  more. 

As  if  the  clouds  its  ech6  would  repeat ; 

And  nearer,  clearer,  deadlier  than  before  ! 

Arm  !  arm  !  it  is,  it  is  the  cannOn's  opening  roar  1 

Canto  III,  Stanza  XXII. 

HYPERBOLE. 

Is  inflated  or  exaggerated  speech  ;  so  great  is  the  exag- 
geration that  it  cannot  be  expected  to  be  believed  by  the 
reader  or  hearer.  It  is  an  expression  of  strong  passion, 
and  is  often  made  use  of  by  the  poet  and  the  orator.  Im- 
pulsive natures  make  great  use  of  this  figure  of  speech. 
Everything  with  them  is  magnificent  !  splendid  !  sublime  ! 
awful  !  Abraham  Cowley  has  translated  from  the  Greek 
poet  Anacreon,  this  beautiful  hyperbole  entitled,  "  The 
Grasshopper  "  : 

Happy  insect !  what  can  be 
In  happiness  cdmpared  t5  thee  ? 
Fed  with  nourishment  divine. 
The  dewy  morning's  gentle  wine  ! 
Nattire  waits  Qpon  thee  still, 
And  thy  verdant  cup  d5es  fill ; 


FIGURES  OF  SPEECH.  200 

'Tis  filled  wherever  thou  d5st  tread, 

NatQre's  self's  thy  Ganymede. 

Thou  d6st  drink,  Snd  dance  find  sing, 

Happigr  than  th6  happiest  king  ! 

All  the  fields  which  thou  d6st  see, 

All  the  plants  belong  t6  thee  ; 

All  the  summer  hours  pr6duce, 

Fertile  made  with  early  juice. 

Man  f6r  thee  d6es  sow  Snd  plough, 

Farmer  he,  Snd  landl5rd  thou  ! 

Thou  d6st  inn5cently  joy, 

N6r  does  thy  luxury  destroy. 

The  shepherd  gladly  hearfeth  thee. 

More  harmonious  thSn  he. 

The  country  hinds  with  gladnSss  hear, 

Prophet  of  the  ripened  year  ! 

Thee  Phoebus  loves  and  does  inspire  ; 

PhoebGs  is  himself  thy  sire, 

T6  thee,  6f  Sll  things  Qpon  the  earth. 

Life  is  n6  longer  than  thy  mirth. 

Happy  insect !  happy  thou 

D6st  neither  age  n6r  winter  know  ; 

BQt  when  thOu'st  drunk  and  danced  Snd  sung 

Thy  fill,  the  flowery  leaves  Smong, 

(VoluptQoiis  and  wise  withal, 

Epicurean  animal  !  ) 

Sated  with  thy  summer  feast, 

Thou  retir'st  t6  endless  rest. 

"  Ye  stars  !  which  are  the  poetry  6f  heaven  ! 
If  in  your  bright  leaves  we  wotlld  read  the  fate 
6f  men  and  empires, — 'tis  t6  be  f5rgiven, 
That  in  6ur  aspirations  to  be  great, 
Our  destinies  6'erleap  their  mortal  state, 
And  claim  a  kindred  with  you  ;  for  ye  are 
A  beauty  and  a  mystery,  and  create 
In  lis  stich  love  and  reverence  tr5m  afar, 
That  fortQne,  lame,  p6wer,  life.have  named  themselves  a  star." 

Byroii — "Childe  Harold." 


2 1 o  THE  ART  OF  POE TR  \. 

IRONY. 

A  figure  ot  telling  effect  when  properly  used.  It  is  used 
to  express  directly  the  opposite  of  what  it  is  intended  shall 
be  understood.  It  is  used  effectively  in  Whittier's  "The 
Prisoner  for  Debt, ' '  a  poem  of  great  merit : 

What  has  the  gray-hSired  prisoner  done  ? 

His  murder  stained  his  hands  with  gore  ? 
N6t  so  ;  his  crime's  a  fouler  one  ; 

GOD  MADE  THE  OLD  MAN  POOR  ! 
F6r  this  h6  shares  a  felcjn's  cell, — 
The  fittest  earthly  type  5f  hell  ! 
F6r  this,  the  boon  f5r  which  he  poured 
His  young  blo6d  on  the  invader's  sword, 
And  counted  light  the  fearfQl  cost, — 
His  blood-gained  liberty  is  lost ! 

And  so,  f5r  such  a  place  5f  rest. 

Old  prisoner,  dropped  thy  blood  as  rain 
On  Concord's  field,  and  Bunker's  crest, 

And  Saratoga's  plain  ? 
Lo6k  forth,  thCu  man  6f  many  scars, 
ThroQgh  thy  dim  diingeOn's  irOn  bars  ; 
It  miist  be  joy,  in  sooth  t6  see 
Y5n  monQment  tipreared  t5  thee, — 
Piled  granite  and  a  pris6n  cell. 
The  land  repays  thy  service  well ! 

G6,  ring  the  bells  and  fire  the  guns. 

And  fling  the  starry  banners  out  ; 
Sh6ut  "Freedom  !  "  till  your  lisping  ones 

Give  back  their  cradle-shout ; 
Let  boastful  eloquence  declaim 
Of  honOr,  liberty  and  fame  ; 
Still  let  the  poet's  strain  be  heard, 
With  glory  for  each  secOnd  word. 
And  everything  with  breath  agree 
T5  praise  "Our  glorioils  Hberty  !  " 


FIGURES  OF  SPEECH.  ^i  i 

BOt  when  the  patrGn  cannSn  jars 

That  prison's  cold  and  gloomy  wall, 
And  through  its  gates  the  stripes  and  stars 

Rise  on  the  wind,  and  fall, — 
Think  ye  that  prisoner's  aged  ear 
Rejoices  In  the  general  cheer  ? 
Think  ye  his  dim  and  failing  eye 
Is  kindled  at  yoQr  pagentry  ? 
S6rr6wing  5f  soul,  and  chained  5f  limb, 
What  Is  yotir  carnival  t6  him  ? 


D6wn  with  the  LAW  that  binds  him  thus ! 

tTnworthy  freemen,  let  it  find 
N5  refuge  from  the  withering  curse 

6f  God  and  human  kind  ! 
Open  the  prls6n's  living  tomb, 
And  usher  from  its  brooding  gloom 
The  victims  of  yoQr  savage  code 
T5  the  free  sun  and  air  6f  God  ; 
N6  longer  dare  as  crime  t5  brand 
The  chastening  of  the  Almighty's  hand. 


LITOTES. 

A  diminution  or  softening  of  statement,  for  the  purpose  of 
avoiding  censure,  or  of  expressing  more  strongly  what  is 
intended  ;  a  figure  in  which  the  affirmative  is  expressed  by 
the  negative  of  the  contrary  ;  thus,  ' '  a  citizen  of  no  mean 
city"  means  "  of  an  illustrious  or  important  city." 

It  is  the  opposite  of  hyperbole. 

The  following  from  one  who  was  unsurpassed  as  a  prose 
writer,  and  who  was  a  very  clever  poet,  illustrates  this 
figure. 


212  THE  ART  OF  POETRY. 

The  Mountain  and  th6  Squirrgl 

Had  a  quarrel  ; 

And  the  Mountain  called  th6  Squirrel  "Little  Prig." 

Bun  replied, 

"  You  are  doubtless  very  big  ; 

But  all  sorts  6f  things  and  weather 

Must  be  taken  in  tSgether 

T5  make  Qp  a  year 

And  a  sphere  ; 

And  1  think  it  no  disgrace 

T6  occGpy  my  place. 

If  I'm  n6t  s5  large  as  you, 

You  are  not  s6  small  as  I, 

And  n6t  half  s6  spry. 

I'll  n6t  deny  yoQ  make 

A  very  pretty  squirrel  track : 

Talents  differ  ;  all  is  wisely  put, — 

If  I  cannot  carry  forests  on  my  back, 

Neither  can  yoti  crack  a  nut." 

Emerson — "  A  Fable." 

METONYMY. 

A  change  of  noun  or  substantive,  is  a  figure  in  which  the 
name  of  one  object  is  put  for  some  other  object.  The  rela- 
tion is  always  that  of  causes,  eflfects,  or  adjuncts. 

(i)  Substituting  a  noun  that  e.xpresses  the  cause,  for  tha 
noun  that  expresses  the  effect  : 

A  time  there  was,  ere  England's  griefs  began 
When  every  rood  5f  ground  maintained  its  man. 

Goldsmith — "  The  Deserted  Village." 

' '  Ground  ' '  is  here  used  for  what  the  ground  produces, 
viz  :   food. 

0  for  a  beaker  fiill  5f  the  warm  South  ! 

Keats — "  Lines  to  the  Nightingale." 


FIGURES  OF  SPEECH.  213 

"South"  is  here  used  for  the  rich  wines  produced  in 
sunny  lands. 

R6bed  In  the  I6ng  night  6f  her  deep  hair. 

Tennyso7i- 

"  Night,"  the  cause  of  darkness,  is  put  for  "  darkness," 
the  effect. 

(2)  Substituting  the  noun  expressing  the  effect  for  the 
noun  used  to  express  the  cause,  being  the  converse  of  the 
first  proposition  : 

SwKft  as  Sn  arrSw  flies  the  leaden  death. 

James  Harvey — "Thereon  and  Aspasia." 

"Death,"  the  effect  of  the  bullet,  is  put  for  the  bullet 
itself 

(3)  A  substantive  denoting  the  place  is  substituted  for  a 
substantive  denoting  the  inhabitants  : 

At  length  the  world,  renewed  by  calm  repose, 
was  strong  f6r  toil  ;  the  dappled  morn  Srose. 

Parnell— ''The  Hermit." 

"  World"  is  used  for  "  inhabitant." 

"  WhSt  land  is  s6  barbarous  injustice  to  allow  ?  " 
' '  Land  ' '  is  used  to  express  ' '  race  "  or  "  people. ' ' 

(4)  The  sign  is  used  for  that  of  which  it  is  the  symbol  or 
signifies  : 

His  banner  leads  the  spears  n6  more  Smld  the  hills  6f  Spain. 

Felicia  Hetnans. 

' '  Spears ' '  is  used  for  ' '  soldiers. ' ' 


214  THE  ART  OF  POETRY. 

As, too,  "the  olive  branch,"  instead  of  "peace;"  the 
* '  throne, ' '  the  ' '  purple, ' '  the  ' '  scepter ' '  instead  of 
"  kingly  power." 

Th6  path  by  which  wg  twain  did  go. 

Which  led  by  tracks  that  pleased  Os  well, 
ThroQgh  four  swe^t  years  Srose  Snd  fell, 

Fr6m  flower  t6  flower^  fr6m  snow  t6  snow. 

BQt  where  the  path  wS  walked  began 

T6  slant  the  fifth  autumnal  slope. 

As  we  descended,  following  Hope, 
There  sat  the  ShadSw  feared  6f  man. 

Tennyson. 

' '  Flower, "  "  snow  ' '  and  ' '  shadow  ' '  as  used  here  are 
emblematic  of  ' '  Summer, "  "  Winter  ' '  and  ' '  Death. ' ' 

(5)  Substituting  the  abstract  for  the  concrete  term,  and 
vice  versa  : 

There  Hondr  comes,  a  pilgrim  gray, 
T6  deck  the  turf  that  wraps  their  clay  ; 
And  Freedom  shall  a  while  repair 
T6  dwell  a  weeping  hermit  there. 

Collbis. 

"  Honor  "  is  used  to  denote  an  individual  of  merit.  A 
man  of  honor  full  of  ripe  years. 

I  have  found  6ut  a  gift  f6r  m>-  fair  ; 

I  have  found  where  the  wo6d-pTge5ns  breed  ; 
BQt  let  me  the  plunder  f5rbear — 

She  woGld  say  'twas  a  barbarotis  deed, 
F6r  he  ne'er  cotlld  be  true,  she  averred, 

Wh6  cotlld  rob  a  po6r  bird  5f  its  yoiing  : 
And  I  loved  her  the  more  when  I  heard 

Stich  tend^rnSs.^  fall  fr6m  her  tongue. 

Shenstone — ' '  A  Pastoral. ' ' 


FIGURES  OF  SPEECH. 


215 


Here  the  word  "  tenderness"  is  used  to  express  "  kind 
feelings. ' ' 

(6)  Substituting  the  container  for  what  is  contained. 

"Our  ships  n6xt  opgned  fire." 
•Here  the  word  "ships"  is  used  to  designate  "sailors." 

"  H6  is  fond  6f  the  d<9/^/^." 
Viz  :  he  is  fond  of  ' '  drink. ' ' 

"  Yottr  purse  6r  yoQr  life." 
Viz  :  your  money, 

"  WhSre  will  yoQ  find  another  breast  Hke  his  ? " 
' '  Breast ' '  is  here  used  for  the  spirit  that  animated  it. 

(7)  Substituting  the  substantive  that  denotes  the  thing 
supporting  for  the  substantive  that  denotes  the  thing  sup- 
ported, as: 

Field  for  battle,  table  for  eatables  on  it,  altar  for  sacrifice. 

(8)  Substituting  the  name  of  the  thing  possessed  for  the 
possessor,  as  : 

"The  war-who5p  shall  wake  the  sleep  5f  th6  cradlg." 
Viz  :  the  voice  of  men  en  route  to  battle. 

Drove  the  bristled  lips  before  him." 

Shakespeare — "  Coriolanus." 

Viz  :  Drove  indetermined  men. 


2i6  T^£-  ART  OF  POETRY. 

(9)  Substituting  the  possessor  for  the  possessed  : 

"L6t  tis  browse  6n  the  fields  co61  with  dew." 

Virgil — ' '  Georgics. ' ' 

"  Us  "  is  used  here  for  ' '  our  flocks. ' ' 

(10)  Substituting  the  instrument  for  the  user  : 

"Light has  spread,  Snd  ev6n  bayonets  think  " 

"Bayonets,"  the  instrument  or  thing  used  is  here  substi- 
tuted for  "  soldiers  "  or  men  who  use  bayonets. 

"  FQII  fifty  thousand  muskets  bright, 
L6d  by  61d  warri6rs  trained  in  fight." 

"Muskets  oright"  used  for  "soldiers." 

(11)  Substituting  the  noun  denoting  the  material  for  the 
thing  made  of  that  material  : 

Like  a  tempest  down  the  ridges 
Swept  the  hurricane  5f  steel  ; 
Rose  the  slogan  of  MacDonald, 
Flashed  the  broad  sw5rd  of  LOchiel. 

Ayioun — "  Battle  of  Killiecrankie. " 

' '  Steel ' '  here  means  ' '  swords. ' ' 

The  wind  is  piping  loud,  m>-  boys. 

The  lightening  flashes  free  ; 
While  the  h6116w  oak  5ur  palace  is. 

Our  heritage  the  sea. 

Allan  Cunningham. 

"  The  hollow  oak  "  is  here  used  to  represent  "  a  ship." 


FIGURES  OF  SPEECH. 


217 


Hood  has  also  given  us  a  fine  example  similar  to  the  one 
above,  in  the  following  : 

The  oakgn  cell 
ShSU  lodge  him  well 
Wh6se  sceptrg  ruled  S  realm. 

"  A  Dream  in  the  Woods." 

It  is  very  easy  for  one  to  guess  the  meaning  of  the  word 
"  oaken  cell  "  in  the  above  quotation. 

(12)  Substituting  the  noun  for  the  period  of  time  during 
which  certain  events  occured  for  the  events  : 

S6  have  1  worn  6ut  manj^  sleeplSss  nights, 
And  wadSd  deep  throtigh  many  i  bloody  day. 

Homer. 

' '  Nights  ' '  here  is  used  to  designate  a  period  of  time,  viz  : 
' '  many  sleepless  nights  ' '  in  place  of  "  a  given  number  of 
days. ' '  The  same  is  true  of  day  in  the  next  verse  or  line  ; 
it  is  a  noun  used  to  express  a  fact,  viz  :  waded  through  a 
bloody  battle  or  through  war. 

(13)  Substituting  the  place  for  the  occurrence  that  hap- 
pened there  : 

BQt  Linden  saw  another  sight, 
When  the  drtim  beat,  St  dead  5f  night, 
CSmmanding  fires  6f  death  t6  light 
The  darkness  of  her  scenery. 

Thomas  Campbell — "  Hohenlinden." 

Here  Linden,  the  place,  is  used  for  the  occurrence  that 
happened  there,  viz  :  The  Battle  of  Hohenlinden. 


2i8  THE  ART  OF  POETRY. 

Agincourt,  Agincourt! 
Know  yS  n6t  Agincourt, 
Where  wS  w6n  field  Snd  fort  ? 

French  fl6d  like  woni^n 
By  hSnd  Snd  eke  by  water ; 
Nevfer  wis  seen  stich  slaughter 

Made  by  5ur  bowman. 

Drayton — "  Agincourt. ' ' 

Here  "Agincourt,"  the  place,  is  used  for  the  occurrence 
that  happened  there,  viz  :  The  Battle  of  Agincourt  in  1415. 

ECHO. 

A  returning  of  what  has  already  been  uttered  ;  is  another 
form  of  repetition  : 

But  the  Past  and  all  its  beauty, 
Whithgr  has  it  fled  Sway  ? 
Hark  !  the  mournfiil  echftes  say — 
"Fled  Sway  ! " 

Adelaide  Anne  Procter. 

(2) 

But  the  drum 
Ech5ed  "Come  !  " 

Brete  Harte. 

ONOMATOPCEIA. 

Is  the  use  of  a  word  or  a  phrase  formed  to  imitate    the 
sound  of  the  thing  signified,  as  : 

The  moan  6f  doves  in  immemorial  elms 
And  murmuring  of  innumerable  bees. 

Tennyson. 


FIG URES  OF  SPEE CH.  ^ig 

The  breezy  call  5f  inc^nse-breathing  mom, 
The  swall5w  twittering  from  th$  straw-built  shed, 

The  cock's  shrill  clari5n,  or  th6  echoing  horn, 
N6  more  shall  rouse  thfim  from  thgir  lowly  bed. 

Gray — "Elegy  " 


Btit  soon  6bscured  with  smoke,  all  heaven  appeared, 

Fr6m  those  defip-throatfid  engines  belched,  whSse  roar 

£mb6w611ed  with  SutrageoQs  noise  the  air, 

And  all  her  entrails  tore,  disgorging  foul 

Their  devilish  glut,  chained  thunderbolts  and  hail 

Of  ir6n  globes. 

Milton — "  Paradise  Lost. 


Here  it  c5mes  sparkling, 

And  there  it  lies  darkling; 

Here  smoking  and  frothing, 

Its  tumult  and  wrath  in, 
It  hastens  along,  conflicting  strong  ; 

N5w  striking  and  raging, 

As  if  a  war  waging. 
Its  caverns  and  rocks  among, 

Rising  and  leaping, 

Sinking  and  creeping, 

Swelling  and  flinging. 

Showering  and  springing, 

Eddying  and  whisking. 

Spouting  and  frisking, 

Turning  and  twisting 
Around  and  around  ; 

collecting,  disjecting, 
With  endless  rebound  ; 

Smiting  and  fighting, 

A  sight  t6  delight  in, 

confounding,  astounding, 
Dizzying  and  deafening  the  ear  with  its  sound. 
Robert  Southey—  "  The  Cataract  of  Lodore.' 


THE  ART  OF  POETRY. 
PARALEIPSIS. 


A  pretended  or  apparent  omission  ;  a  figure  by  which  a 
speaker  pretends  to  pass  by  what  at  the  same  time  he  really 
mentions,  as  : 


H6r  kindness  and  her  worth  t5  spy, 
Yoti  need  bQt  gaze  5n  Ellen's  eye  ; 
N6t  Katrine,  in  h6r  mirr5r  blue. 
Gives  back  the  shaggy-  banks  m5re  true. 
Than  every  free-b5rn  glance  confessed 
The  guileless  movements  of  her  breast ; 
Whether  j6y  danced  in  her  dirk  eye. 
Or  woe  5r  pity  claimed  a  sigh, 
Or  filial  love  was  glowing  there, 
Or  meek  dev6ti5n  poured  a  prayer, 
Or  tale  Of  injury  called  forth. 
The  indignant  spirit  of  the  North, 
One  only  passiOn  iinrevealed. 
With  maiden  pride  the  maid  c6ncealed, 
Yet  not  less  purely  felt  the  flame — 
0  need  I  tell  that  passiOn's  name  ? 

Scott — "  The  Lady  of  the  Lake." 


PERSONIFICATION. 

Is  a  figure  by  which  the  absent  are  introduced  as  present 
and  by  which  inanimate  objects  and  abstract  ideas  are  rep- 
resented as  living.     Personification  is  a  species  of  Metaphor: 

There  is  a  Reaper  whOse  name  is  Death, 

And,  with  his  sickle  keen, 
He  reaps  the  bearded  grain  at  a  breath. 

And  the  flowers  that  grow  between. 

Longfellow — "The  Reaper  and  the  Flowers." 


FIGURES  OF  SPEECH.  22  i 

T5  you,  fair  phant6ms  in  thS  sun, 

Wh5m  merry  Spring  discovgrs, 
With  blue-birds  for  your  laureates. 

And  honfiy-bees  f6r  lovfirs. 

Aldrich — "The  Blue-Bells  of  New  England." 

His  was  thS  spell  6'er  hearts 

Which  only  acting  lends, — 
Thg  younggst  of  thS  sistfir  Arts, 

Where  all  thfiir  beauty  blends; 

F6r  ill  cSn  Poetry  Express 

FQU  many  a  tone  5f  thought  stiblime, 
And  Painting,  mute  and  moti6nless, 

Steals  but  a  glance  5f  time. 
Biit  by  thS  mighty  actSr  brought, 

lUiisiOn's  perfect  triumphs  come, — 
VSrse  ceas6s  to  bg  airy  thought, 

And  SculptOre  to  bS  dumb. 

Campbell— ''To].  P.  Kemble." 

REFRAIN,  OR  CHANT. 

A  kind  of  musical  repetition. 

Hast  thou  a  goldSn  day,  a  starlit  night. 

Mirth,  and  music,  and  love  without  alloy? 
Leave  n6  drop  Qndriinken  6f  thy  dSlight : 
S6rr5w  and  shadSw  f6ll6w  on  thy  joy, 
'Tis  all  in  a  lifetime. 
Edmund  Clare?ice  Stedman — "All  In  a  Lifetime." 

John  Gibson  Lockhart  also  furnishes  in  his  translations  of 
Spanish  ballads,  another  fine  illustration  : 

The  Moorish  king  rides  iip  and  down 
Through  Grenada's  royal  town  ; 
From  filvira's  gates  t5  those 
Of  Bivarambia  on  he  goes  : 
Woe  is  me,  Alhama  ! " 


222  THE  ART  OF  POETRY. 

SIMILE. 

Is  an  express  comparison  ;  usually  introduced  by  like,  as, 
and  so  : 

(I). 

Life  is  like  S  tale 
Ended  ere  'tKs  told. 

Aldrich — "  Dirge." 

(2). 

Man,  like  thS  generoQs  vine,  supported  lives  ; 

The  strength  h6  gains  is  from  the  embrace  he  gives. 

Pope. 


(3). 


Btit  pleasures  are  like  poppies  spread, — 

You  seize  the  flower,  its  bloom  is  shed  ; 

Or  like  the  snowfall  in  the  river, 

A  moment  white — tiien  melts  fSrever  ; 

<3r  like  the  borealis  race. 

That  flit  ere  yoO  cftn  point  their  place  ; 

Or  like  the  rainbftw's  lovely  form, 

Evanishing  amid  the  storm. 

Burns — "  Tam  O'Shanter. 


(4). 


The  day  is  done,  and  the  darkness 
Falls  from  the  wings  6f  Night, 
As  a  feather  is  wafted  downward 
Fr6m  an  eagle  in  his  flight. 

LongfeUow — "  The  Day  is  Done. 


FIGURES  OF  SPEECH. 


SYNECDOCHE. 


223 


Is  the  figure  by  which  the  whole  of  a  thing  is  taken  for 
the  part,  or  a  part  for  the  whole,  as,  the  genus  for  the 
species,  or  the  species  for  the  genus.  It  comprehends  more 
or  less  in  the  expression  than  the  word  which  is  employed 
literally  signifies. 

The  noun  "sail  "  is  used  instead  of  the  noun  "  ship" — a 
part  of  the  ship  for  the  whole  : 

A  sail!  &  sail!  S  promised  prize  16  hope, 
HSr  nation's  flag — h6w  speaks  the  telescope? 
N6  prize,  Si  as  !  btit  yet  ft  welcftme  sail. 

Byron. 

The  force  of  this  figure  consists  of  the  greater  vividness 
with  which  the  part  or  species  is  realized. 

In  Pickering's  ballad  we  have  the  following  lines  where 
this  figure  of  speech  is  found,  where  one  wreath  is  put  for 
the  many,  that  make  the  whirl,  or  storm  : 

"  C5me  in,  auld  Carl,  I'll  steer  my  fire, 

I'll  make  it  bleeze  S  bonnie  flame  ; 
Yotir  blijid  is  thin,  yfe've  tint  the  gate, 

Y6  shouldna  stray  sSe  farfrSe  hame." 

"N5e  hame  have  I,"  th6  minstrel  said  ; 

"  sad  party  strife  5'ertiimed  my  ha'  ; 
And  weeping  at  the  close  5f  life, 

I  wander  through  a  wreath  6/  sndzv." 

TROPE. 

An  important  figure  defined  as  a  figurative  use  ol  a  word; 
a  word  or  expression  used  in  a  different  sense  from  that 
which  it   properly  possesses,  or  a  word  changed  from   its 


2  24 


THE  ART  OF  FOE  TR  Y. 


original  signification  to  another  for  the  sake  of  life  or  em- 
phasis to  an  idea,  as  when  we  call  a  shrewd  man  a  fox. 
Tropes  are  chiefly  of  four  kinds  :  Metaphor,  Metonymy, 
Synecdoche,  and  Irony,  but  to  these  may  be  added 
Allegory,  Prosopopoeia,  Antonomasia,  and  perhaps  some 
others. 

The  word  Trope  comes  from  the  Greek  word  tropos, 
which  means  a  turning. 

A  change  of  noun  is  termed  a  Metonymy,  a  change  of 
adjective  is  termed  a  Trope. 

The  following  are  illustrations  ; 

(I). 

N6w  fades  the  glimmering  landscape  on  the  sight, 

And  all  the  air  a  solemn  stillness  holds, 
save  where  the  beetle  wheels  his  droning  flight, 

And  drowsy  thiklings  lull  the  distant  folds. 

Gray's  Elegy. 

(2). 

Away  !  away  !  t5  Athtlnree  ! 

Where,  downward  when  the  sun  shall  fall 

The  raven's  wing  shall  be  yoiir  pall  ! 

And  not  a  vassal  shall  linlace 

The  vis5r  from  yoOr  dying  ikce.  ! 

Campbell — "Curse  of  O'Connor's  Child." 

(3)- 

She  wept  t6  leave  Xh&fond  ro5f  where 

She  had  been  loved  s6  long  ; 
Thoilgh  glad  the  peal  tipon  the  air, 

And  gay  the  bridal  throng. 

Miss  Landon — "Adieu  to  a  Bride." 


FIGURES  OF  SPEECH. 


(4). 


225 


At  last  thg  closing  seas6n  browns  th&  plain, 
And  r'jpe  October  gathers  in  th6  grain. 

Joel  Barlow — "  The  Hasty  Pudding." 

(5). 

Fountain-heads  Snd  pathless  groves — 
Places  v^\{\c\\  p&le  pdssiHn  loves. 

Francis  Beaumont. 

(6). 

When  the  humid  shadOws  hov^r 

Over  all  the  starry  spheres, 
And  the  mel&7tchdly  ddrhiiiss 

Gently  weeps  in  rainy  tears, 
What  a  bliss  t6  press  the  pillOvv 

Of  a  cottage  chamber-bed, 
And  t6  listen  to  the  patter 

Of  the  soft  rain  overhead. 

Coates  Kinney — "  Rain  on  the  Roof." 

■       (7). 

'Tis  pleasant,  by  the  cheerftil  hearth,  t6  hear 
Of  tempests  and  the  dangers  of  the  deep  ; 
And  pause  at  times  and  feel  that  we  are  safe, 
Then  listen  to  \.\\&  periloiis  tale  again. 

Southey — "  Modoc. ' ' 

(8). 

Mother,  thy  child  is  blessed  ; 

And  though  his  presence  may  be  lost  t6  thee, 

And  vacant  leave  thy  breast. 

And  missed  H  sweet  Idad  from  thy  parent  knee  ; 

Th6ugh  tones  familiar  from  thine  ear  have  passed, 

Thftu'lt  meet  thy  first-b6rn  with  the  Lord  at  last. 

WilHs  G.  Clark. 


2  26 


THK  ART  OF  POETR  V. 


(9)- 

Sh6  hears  th6  cann6n's  deadly  rattlfe. 

Washington  Allston — ' '  Spanish  Maid . ' ' 

(lo). 

Piirpm  dressSs,  the  wearing  6f  which  is  brighter  thftn  any  star. 

Horace — "Odes." 

(II). 

The  dogs  ftr  klndfir  than  \h€\x  purple  master. 

"  Lazarus  and  Dives." 

(12) 

Others  from  the  dawning  hills 
Looked  Ground. 

Milton — ' '  Paradise  Lost. ' ' 

The  "hills"  are  but  the  receivers  of  the  light — they  are 
not    "dawning   hills"    save    when  the    "dawning    light" 


shines  upon  them. 


VISION. 


Is  the  expression  of  powerful  emotion,  akin  to  Apostro- 
phe. It  is  a  figure  in  which  the  past  or  future  is  conceived 
for  the  present.  It  is  appropriate  to  animated  description, 
as  it  produces  the  effect  of  an  ideal  presence.  Thomas 
Campbell's  "  Lochiel's  Warning"   illustrates  this  figure  : 

Lochiel,  Lochiel  !  beware  6f  the  day 
When  the  Lowlands  shall  meet  thee  in  battle  array  ! 
F5r  a  field  6f  the  dead  rushes  red  6n  my  sight, 
And  the  clans  6f  CGlloden  are  scattered  in  fight. 
They  rally,  they  bleed,  f6r  their  kingdSm  and  crown; — 
W6e,  woe  t6  the  riders  that  trample  them  down  ! 
Pr5ud  Cumberland  prances,  insulting  the  slain, 
And  their  hoof-bCaten  bos5ms  are  trod  trt  the  plain. 


PART  THIRD. 


CHAPTER  I. 
OF  THE  VARIOUS  KINDS  OF  POETRY. 

WE  cannot  better  introduce  our  chapter  ' '  On  the 
Various  Kinds  of  Poetry  ' '  than  by  giving  Fonte- 
nelle's  celebrated  allegory  on  "  The  Empire  of  Poetry. "  It 
is  professedly  one  of  the  finest  metaphorical  descriptions 
that  has  ever  been  written. 

THE  EMPIRE  OF  POETRY. 

This  Empire  is  a  very  large  and  populous  country.  It  is 
divided,  like  some  of  the  countries  of  the  Continent,  into  the 
Higher  and  Lower  Regions.  The  Upper  Region  is  inhabited 
by  grave,  melancholy  and  sullen  people,  who,  like  other 
mountaineers,  speak  a  language  very  different  from  that  of 
the  inhabitants  of  the  valleys.  The  trees  in  this  part  of  the 
country  are  very  tall,  having  their  tops  in  the  clouds. 
Their  horses  are  superior  to  those  of  Barbary,  being  fleeter 
than  the  winds.  Their  women  are  so  beautiful  as  to  eclipse 
the  star  of  day.  The  great  city  which  you  see  in  the  maps, 
beyond  the  lofty  mountains,  is  the  capital  of  this  province, 
and  is  called  Epic.  It  is  built  on  a  sandy  and  ungrateful 
soil,  which  few  take  the  pains  to  cultivate.  The  length  of 
the  city  is  many  days'  journey,  and  it  is  otherwise  of  a 
tiresome  extent.  On  leaving  its  gate,  we  always  meet  with 
men  who  are  killing  one  another  ;  whereas,  when  we  pass 
through  Romance,  which  forms  the  suburbs  of  Epic,  and 


2-0  T^^^  ^^^  Of'  POETRY. 

which  is  larger  than  the  city  itself,  we  meet  with  groups  of 
happy  people,  who  are  hastening  to  the  shrine  of  Hymen. 

The  mountains  of  Tragedy  are  also  in  the  province  of 
Upper  Poetry.  They  are  very  steep,  with  dangerous  preci- 
pices ;  and,  in  consequence,  many  of  its  people  build  their 
habitations  at  the  bottom  of  the  hills,  and  imagine  themselves 
high  enougli.  There  have  been  found  on  these  mountains 
some  very  beautiful  ruins  of  ancient  cities,  and  from  time  to 
time,  the  materials  are  carried  lower  to  build  new  cities  ;  for 
they  are  now  never  built  nearly  so  high  as  they  seem  to  have 
been  in  former  times. 

The  Lower  Poetry  is  very  similar  to  the  swamps  of 
Holland.  Burlesque  is  the  capital,  which  is  situated  amid 
stagnant  pools.  Princes  speak  there  as  if  they  had  sprung 
from  the  dung-hill,  and  all  the  inhabitants  are  buffoons  from 
their  birth.  Comedy  is  a  city  which  is  built  on  a  pleasant 
spot  ;  but  it  is  too  near  to  Burlesque,  and  its  trade  with  this 
place  has  injured  the  manners  of  the  inhabitants. 

I  beg  you  will  notice,  in  the  map,  those  vast  solitudes 
which  lie  between  High  and  Low  Poetry.  They  are  called 
the  Deserts  of  Common  Sense.  There  is  not  a  single  city 
in  the  whole  of  this  extensive  country,  and  only  a  few 
cottages  scattered  at  a  distance  from  one  another.  The 
interior  of  the  country  is  beautiful  and  fertile,  but  you  need 
not  wonder  that  there  are  so  few  that  choose  to  reside  in  it ; 
for  the  entrance  is  very  rugged  on  all  sides,  the  roads  are 
narrow  and  difficult,  and  there  are  seldom  any  guides  to  be 
found  capable  of  conducting  strangers. 

Besides,  this  country  borders  on  a  province  where  every 
person  prefers  to  remain,  because  it  appears  to  be  very 
agreeable,  and  saves  the  trouble  of  penetrating  into  the 
Deserts  of  Common  Sense.     It   !s   the   province   of  False 


OF  THE    VARIOUS  KINDS  OF  POETRY.  231 

Thoughts.  Here  we  always  tread  on  flowers  ;  everything 
seems  enchanting.  But  its  general  inconvenience  is,  that  the 
ground  is  not  solid  ;  the  foot  is  always  sinking  in  the  mire, 
however  careful  one  may  be.  Elegy  is  the  capital.  Here  the 
people  do  nothing  but  complain  ;  but  it  is  said  that  they  find 
a  pleasure  in  their  complaints.  The  city  is  surrounded  with 
woods  and  rocks,  where  the  inhabitant  walks  alone,  making 
them  the  confidants  of  his  secrets,  of  the  discovery  of  which 
he  is  so  much  afraid  that  he  often  conjures  those  woods  and 
rocks  never  to  betray  them. 

The  Empire  of  Poetry  is  watered  by  two  rivers:  One  is 
the  River  of  Rhyme,  which  has  its  source  at  the  foot  of  the 
Mountains  of  Reverie.  The  tops  of  some  of  these  mountains 
are  so  elevated  that  they  pierce  the  clouds.  Those  are 
called  the  Points  of  Sublime  Thought-;. 

Many  climb  there  by  extraordinary  efforts  ;  but  almost  the 
whole  tumble  down  again,  and  excite,  by  their  fall,  the  ridicule 
of  those  who  admired  them  at  first  without  knowing  why. 
There  are  large  platforms  almost  at  the  bottom  of  these 
mountains,  which  are  called  the  Terraces  of  Low  Thoughts. 
There  are  always  a  great  number  of  people  walking  on  them. 
At  the  end  of  these  terraces  are  the  Caverns  of  Deep  Rev- 
erie. Those  who  descend  into  them  do  so  insensibly,  being 
so  much  enwrapt  in  their  meditations  that  they  enter  the 
cavern  before  they  are  aware.  These  Caverns  are  perfect 
labyrinths,  and  the  difficulty  of  getting  out  again  could 
scarcely  be  believed  by  those  who  have  not  been  there. 
Above  the  terraces  we  sometimes  meet  with  men  walking  in 
easy  paths,  which  are  called  the  Paths  of  Natural  Thoughts; 
and  these  gentlemen  ridicule  equally  those  who  try  to  scale 
the  Points  of  Sublime  Thoughts  as  well  as  those  who  grovel 
on  the  terraces  below.     They  would  be  in  the  right  if  they 


232 


THE  ART  OF  POETRY. 


could  keep  undeviatingly  in  the  Paths  of  Natural  Thoughts, 
but  they  fall  almost  instantly  into  a  snare  by  entering  into  a 
splendid  palace  which  is  at  a  very  little  distance.  It  is  the 
Palace  of  Badinage.  Scarely  have  they  entered  it,  when, 
in  place  of  the  natural  thoughts  which  they  formerly  had, 
they  dwell  upon  such  only  as  are  mean  and  vulgar.  Those, 
however,  who  never  abandon  the  Paths  of  Natural  Thoughts 
are  the  most  rational  of  all.  They  aspire  no  higher  than 
they  ought,  and  their  thoughts  are  never  at  variance  with 
sound  judgment. 

Besides  the  River  Rhyme,  which  I  have  described  as 
issuing  from  the  foot  of  the  mountains,  there  is  another 
called  the  River  of  Reason.  These  two  rivers  are  at  a  great 
distance  from  one  another,  and,  as  they  have  different 
courses,  they  could  not  be  made  to  communicate  except  by 
canals,  which  cost  a  great  deal  of  labor  ;  for  these  canals  of 
communication  could  not  be  formed  at  all  places,  because 
there  is  only  one  part  of  the  River  Rhyme  which  is  in  the 
neighborhood  of  the  River  Reason  ;  and  hence  many  cities 
situated  on  the  Rhyme,  such  as  Roundelay  and  Ballad, 
could  have  no  commerce  with  the  Reason,  whatever  pains 
might  be  taken  for  the  purpose. 

Further,  it  would  be  necessary  that  these  canals  should 
cross  the  Deserts  of  Common  Sense,  as  you  will  see  by  the 
map,  and  that  is  almost  an  unknown  country.  The  Rhyme 
is  a  large  river,  whose  course  is  crooked  and  unequal,  and, 
on  account  of  its  numerous  falls,  it  is  extremely  difficult  to 
navigate.  On  the  contrary,  the  Reason  is  very  straight  and 
regular,  but  does  not  carry  vessels  of  every  burden. 

There  is  in  the  Land  of  Poetry  a  very  obscure  forest,  where 
the  rays  of  the  sun  never  enter.  It  is  the  Forest  of  Bom- 
bast.    The  trees  are  close,  spreading,  and  twined  into  each 


OF  THE   VARIOUS  KINDS  OF  POETR  Y. 


233 


Other.  The  forest  is  so  ancient  that  it  has  become  a  sort  of 
sacrilege  to  prune  its  trees,  and  there  is  no  probability  that 
the  ground  will  ever  be  cleared.  A  few  steps  into  this  forest 
and  we  lose  our  road,  without  dreaming  that  we  have  gone 
astray.  It  is  full  of  imperceptible  labyrinths,  from  which  no 
one  ever  returns.     The  Reason  is  lost  in  the  forest. 

The  extensive  province  of  Imitation  is  very  sterile.  It 
produces  nothing.  The  inhabitants  are  extremely  poor, 
and  are  obliged  to  glean  in  the  richer  fields  of  the  neighbor- 
ing provinces  ;  and  some  even  make  fortunes  by  this 
beggarly  occupation. 

The  Empire  of  Poetry  is  very  cold  toward  the  north,  and 
consequently  this  quarter  is  the  most  populous.  There  are 
the  cities  of  Anagram  and  Acrostic,  with  several  others  of  a 
similar  description. 

Finally,  in  that  sea  which  bounds  the  States  of  Poetry, 
there  is  the  Island  of  Satire,  surrounded  by  bitter  waves. 
The  salt  from  the  water  is  very  strong  and  dark-colored. 
The  greater  part  of  the  brooks  of  this  island  resemble  the 
Nile  in  this,  that  their  sources  are  unknown  ;  but  it  is  par- 
ticularly remarkable  that  there  is  not  one  of  them  whose 
waters  are  fresh.  A  part  of  the  same  sea  is  called  the 
Archipelago  of  Trifles.  The  French  term  is  1'  Archipel  des 
Bagatelles,  and  their  voyagers  are  well  acquainted  with 
those  islands.  Nature  seems  to  have  thrown  them  up  in 
sport,  as  she  did  those  of  the  Egean  Sea.  The  principal 
islands  are  the  Madrigal,  the  Song,  and  the  Impromptu. 
No  lands  can  be  lighter  than  those  islands,  for  they  float 
upon  the  waters. 

FONTENELLE. 


The  painter  gives  color  to  his  study,  and  his  tints  and 
tone  colors  are  varied  according  as  the  master   possesses 


234  '^^^^  "^^'^^  ^^  POETRY. 

science  in  his  art,  and  as  genius  has  given  him  ability  and 
industry  necessary  to  great  effort.  The  poet  paints  with 
anotlier  brush.  Figures  of  Rhetoric  are  his  colors,  and 
nature  furnishes  him  with  similes,  metaphors,  and  personifi- 
cations. He  should  abound  in  imagery,  and  his  words 
should  be  descriptive  of  external  objects  which  are  on  every 
side.  His  efforts  should  be  to  please,  and  he  is  allowed 
greater  freedom  than  any  other  writer.  Man  is  alwa}s 
interested  in  his  fellow  man  ;  hence,  character,  fortitude, 
devotion,  affection,  aspiration,  and  passion,  are  all  elements 
that  may  enter  into  the  poem.  From  the  earliest  ages  down 
to  the  present,  poetry  has  held  a  place  in  tlie  human  heart. 
Rude  songs  descriptive  of  war  and  peace,  love  and  affection, 
hymns  to  the  gods,  and  poems  celebrating  the  achievements 
of  heroes  are  among  the  first  productions  of  all  nations. 
Traditional  odes  are  found  among  the  rudest  tribes.  Poetry 
has  always  been  a  pleasing  form  of  literature,  and  has  been 
assiduously  cultivated  at  all  times.  The  higher  the  grade 
of  civilization  the  greater  has  been  the  appreciation  of  the 
poet's  efforts.  His  efforts  should  always  be  to  attain  the 
ideal.  He  has  the  whole  world  of  reality  to  select  from. 
He  should  seek  to  surpass  nature  in  his  creative  imagination. 
The  true  poet  is  a  creator,  sensitive  to  all  the  scenes  and 
impressions  around  him  ;  his  eye  should  catch  that  which 
the  ordinary  observer  passes  by  ;  and  his  ear  should  be 
attuned  to  every  sound  about  him.  The  picturesque,  the 
ideal,  and  the  real  are  all  his.  To  fancy  he  gives  form  and 
color,  and  his  expressions  should  contain  a  delicacy,  rich- 
ness and  warmth  of  feeling  and  beauty,  that  should  ever  be 
a  pleasure  to  mankind.  His  ideas,  figures,  characters, 
scenes,  and  language  should  all  harmonize.  His  lines  should 
carry  the  reader  throughout  the  poem  without  a  jar  or  inter- 


OF  THE   VARIOUS  KINDS  OF  POETRY.  235 

ruption.  Words  should  be  selected  for  their  beauty  of  sound 
and  association  ;  and  the  effort  should  alone  be  to  attain  the 
highest  form  of  expression  known  to  elevated  thought  and 
diction. 

CLASSIFICATION  OF  POETRY. 

It  is  very  difficult  to  classify  all  poems.  Poems  may  be 
found  that  are  susceptible  of  various  classification  ;  others 
will  be  found  that  will  hardly  take  their  places  in  any  list. 
Poetry  may  be  divided,  however,  into  six  general  heads  : 

1.  Lyrical.  4.     Epic. 

2.  Pastoral.  5.     Dramatic. 

3.  Didactic.  6.     Satirical. 

These  six  species  may  be  again  subdivided  as  follows  : 
The  Lyric. 


I. 

Songs,     {il^Sa^, 

4.     Elegy,  (Epitaph), 

2. 

Odes. 

5.     Sonnet. 

3- 

Ballads. 

6.     Epigram. 

The  Pastoral. 
I.     Eclogue.  2.     Idyl. 

The  Didactic 
I.     Philosophical.  2.     Meditative. 

The  Epic. 

1.  Grand  Epic.  3.     Metrical  Romance. 

2.  Mock  Epic.  4.     Metrical  Tale. 


236 


THE  ART  OF  POETRY. 

The  Drama. 

Tragedy,  (Prologue). 

Comedy,  (Epilogue,  Envoy). 

Farce. 

Mask,  Travesty  or  Mock  Heroic. 

Melodrama. 

Burletta. 

The  Satire. 


•   I.     Moral.  3.     Political. 

2.     Personal. 

To  the  above  classification  we  may  be  allowed  to  add 
some  other  heads  which  properly  speaking  belong  to  some 
of  the  classes  above  enumerated.  They  are,  however, 
figures  and  forms  different  from  the  ordinary  : 

1.  Dialectic.  3.     Versicles. 

2.  Nonsensical. 

OBJECTIVE  AND  SUBJECTIVE  POETRY. 

We  should  ask  ourselves  when  we  begin  to  write  poetry 
whether  what  we  write  should  be  objective  or  subjective. 
The  mental  forces  at  work  in  writing  Cowper's  "  Task  "  or 
Wordsworth's  "  Excursion,"  both  eminendy  subjective, — 
are  different  from  the  mental  forces  at  work  iri  writing  Long- 
fellow's "Psalm  of  Life "  or  "The  Day  is  Done,"  or 
Brennan'  s  ' '  Come  to  Me,  Dearest, ' '  which  are  objective 
poems.  In  objective  poetry  the  structure  is  light  and  airy, 
lit  up  as  by  the  gay  light  of  electricity,  and  the  teachings 
merely  suggestive  ;  the  other  structure — subjective  poetry — 
is  strong  and    ponderous,   grave  and  staid,  and   its  writers 


OF  THE    VARIOUS  KINDS  OF  POETRY. 


237 


may  be  terrhed  teachers  of  their  own  experiences,  thoughts 
and  feehngs.  Subjective  poetry  is  mostly  written  in  the 
iambic  rhythm  and  comprises  not  only  poems  of  beauty,  but 
poems  of  strength  and  grandeur.  Objective  poetry  is  more 
frequently  written  in  the  trochaic,  anapestic  and  dactylic 
rhythms, — light,  tripping,  airy,  suggestive,  and  yet  possessed 
of  more  outward  beauty  than  any  other  class  of  poetry. 
Objective  poetry  expresses  not  facts,  but  fancies ;  yet  these 
fancies  must  have  facts  for  a  basis.  Conciseness  in  poetry  is 
a  virtue — often  a  necessity,  and  the  writer  of  anapestic  and 
dactylic  verse  cannot  cram  his  lines  like  the  writer  of  iambic 
verse,  or  they  would  be  harsh  and  rugged.  Then  again, 
consonants  dominate  the  vowels  in  our  language,  and  the 
writer  of  anapestic  and  dactylic  verse  should  make  it  unob- 
trusively alliterative,  and  thus  artfully  bevel  the  corners  by 
the  smoothing  process  of  alliteration.  Bring  the  liquids 
mto  use. 

THE  LYRIC. 

The  lyric  poets  form  the  largest  class  of  singers.  They  are 
a  kingdom  unto  themselves,  and  often  they  are  too  much 
engaged  with  their  own  feelings  and  emotions  to  have  sym- 
pathy with  the  world  about  them.  The  lyric  poet  loves  his 
muse,  however,  and  feels  that  the  muse  loves  him,  and,  like 
the  bird,  he  warbles  his  joys  and  sorrows,  his  fears  and 
aspirations,  and  the  world  is  made  better  and  brighter  by 
his  song.  Lyric  poetry  is  gaining  rapidly  in  popular  favor  ; 
it  today  has  more  worshippers  at  its  shrine  than  either  the 
dramatic  or  epic,  and  goes  hand  in  hand  with  the  metrical 
romance. 


2^8  ^^^'"  ^-^'^  ^^^'^  POETRY. 

SECULAR  SONGS. 

Secular  songs  that  have  endured  for  all  time  claim  some 
notice.  The  poets  of  every  age  and  clime  have  sung  and 
will  continue  to  sing  of  the  beauties  about  them.  Especially 
do  they  sing  of  love,  that  mightiest  of  all  the  passions. 
Facts  and  fancies,  love  and  romances,  sentiment  and 
reflection,  have  all  been  food  for  the  poet's  imagination. 
What  a  world  of  melody  and  rhythm  today  delights  human 
kind,  written  for  us  by  the  singers  of  all  ages.  Today -we 
are  delighted  constantly  by  some  new  words  set  to  popular 
music.  Today  our  song  writers  are  as  sentimental,  as  true 
to  nature  and  as  skilled  as  the  writers  of  any  other  age.  It 
is,  however,  the  old  songs, — the  songs  of  days  gone  by — of 
the  long  ago,  that  we  naturally  go  back  to  and  inquire  after. 

Burns,  Bayly,  Byron,  Lover,  Moore,  Caroline  Norton, 
Whittier,  Longfellow,  Holmes,  and  Tennyson  have  all 
written  words  that  will  be  ever  enduring. 

Bishop,  Balfe,  Claribel,  Foster,  Sullivan,  and  Winner 
have  written  music  that  have  immortalized  not  only  the 
words  but  the  authors  of  both  words  and  music.  Ever 
have  music  and  poetry  been  twin  sisters.  The  world  would 
be  not  beautiful  without  them.  They  are  both  a  passion  burn- 
ing in  the  human  soul  that  makes  the  cold,  bleak  world  warm 
with  their  inspirations.  All  peoples  love  songs.  The 
rudest  savages  have  songs  of  love  and  of  war,  of  home  and 
of  country,  of  peace  and  of  religion.  The  wild  Cossack 
delights  in  his  songs  and  sings  of  and  to  his  love,  with  the 
same  tenderness  as  the  cultivated  European. 

Ireland  has  ever  been  famous  for  her  song  writers.  The 
Welsh  and  Scots  have  given  to  the  world  the  sweetest  of 
music.       Germany   has  contributed  her  part.     The  singers 


OF  THE  VARIOUS  KINDS  OF  POETRY. 


239 


of  all  kindreds  and  of  every  clime  have  produced  words 
and  music  which  solace  mankind.  Let  it  not  be  supposed, 
however,  that  the  popular  song  that  has  frequently  handed 
the  name  of  the  author  down  to  posterity  is  but  the  work 
of  an  idle  moment. 

Thomas  Moore's  "  Last  Rose  of  Summer  "  is  one  of  the 
most  widely  popular  songs.  Its  sale  in  this  country  alone  is 
estimated  at  over  two  million  copies.  It  cost  Moore  deep 
meditation.  He  wrote  the  song  for  an  old  air,  "The 
Groves  of  Blarney. "  He  tells  us  he  was  weeks  composing 
just  one  of  its  lines  before  he  succeeded  in  obtaining  words 
that  were  suitable.  Moore's  Irish  Melodies  are  full  of  the 
sweetest  of  songs — songs  that  will  be  more  and  more 
appreciated  in  the  future  by  a  refined  and  cultivated  public. 
None  can,  however,  touch  the  popular  heart  more  than  the 
one  we  have  just  alluded  to,  a  song  of  but  three  stanzas  of 
eight  lines  each,  written  in  anapestic  rhythm.  "  The  Last 
Rose  of  Summer  "  will  be  as  popular  with  future  genera- 
tions as  it  has  been  with  past  on2s,  and  had  Moore  never 
written  anything  else  his  name  would  be  immortalized.  We 
select  the  last  stanza  : 

S6  soon  mfty  t  follSw, 

Wh6n  friendships  dficay, 
As  from  love's  shining  circle 

Th6  gems  dr5p  away  ! 
When  trQe  hearts  Sre  withered, 

And  fond  5nes  ftre  flown, 
Oh  !  wh6  would  inhabit 

This  bleak  w6rld  alone  ? 

Many  accounts  are  given  of  how  "  Home,  Sweet  Home  " 
came  to  be  written.     John   Howard  Payne,  its  author,  was 


240 


THE  ART  OF  FOE TR  Y. 


an  American  poet  and  playwright  who  had  received  a  fair 
education  and  who  made  his  Hving  by  his  pen  and  on  the 
stage.  Like  many  actors,  as  well  as  writers,  he  was  a  spend- 
thrift and  became  stranded  in  Paris,  France,  the  world's 
gay  capitol.  While  all  the  world  below  was  gayety  and 
pleasure,  he  was  the  occupant  of  a  poorly  furnished  room  in 
the  topmost  story  of  a  house  in  the  Palais-Royale,  Without 
friends,  and  temporarily  without  money,  naturally  enough 
these  words  suggested  themselves  to  him  : 

'Mid  pleasOres  find  palacSs  though  wg  mSy  roam, 

B6  It  evSr  s6  humble  there's  no  place  like  home  ; 

A  charm  fr5m  thg  skies  seSms  t6  hall5w  Os  there, 

Which,  seek  throilgh  the  world,  is  nS'er  met  with  elsewhere. 

H5me  !  Home  !  sweet,  sweet  home  ! 

There's  no  place  like  home  ! 

Ch,  there's  no  place  like  home  ! 

The  words  found  a  response  in  every  heart.  Over  one 
hundred  thousand  copies  of  the  song  were  sold  the  first  year 
of  its  publication.  Although  Payne  was  never  benefitted 
a  penny  thereby,  it  immortalized  him.  Its  music  is  an 
old  Calabrian  air  familiar  to  the  peasant  folk  of  Sicily.  Sir 
Henry  Bishop,  who  arranged  the  music,  tells  us  that  he 
obtained  the  air  from  an  old  army  officer  who  served  in 
Sicily.     The  rhythm  of  the  poem  is  anapestic  tetrameter. 

Stephen  Collins  Foster,*  author  of  "The  Old  Kentucky 

*  Stephen  Collins  Foster  was  born  July  4,  1826,  in  Pennsylvania.  He  was  a 
delicate  child,  and  throughout  life  was  ©fa  quiet  and  retiring  disposition.  At  the 
early  age  of  thirteen  he  composed,  "  Sadly  to  My  Heart  Appealing,"  and  at  six- 
teen years  of  age,  "Open  Thy  Lattice,  Love."  In  after  years  he  gave  to  the 
worlS,  "  Old  Uncle  Ned,"  "O  Susanna,"  "  Massa's  in  the  Cold  Ground,"  "Old 
Dog  Tray,"  "Gentle  Annie,"  and  '  Come  Where  My  Love  Lies  Dreaming." 
Foster  not  only  composed  the  words,  but  the  music  to  most  of  his  songs.  His  was 
a  peculiar  musical  talent,  which  has  been  recognized  by  musical  celebrities,  and 
hisairs  have  been  incorporated  by  many  into  concert  fantasias.  He  died  as  he  had 
lived,  in  neglect  and  poverty,  at  the  early  ageof  thirty-seven,  in  1864,  in  New  York 
City.  It  is  a  sad  commentary  upon  life  to  know  the  songs  of  this  gifted  writer  are 
daily  sung  in  almost  every  household,  and  still  continue  to  delight  the  public  on 
both  sides  of  the  Atlantic,  and  yet,  no  monument  marks  the  last  resting  place  of 
the  author  of  "  The  Old  Folks  at  Hotne." 


OF  THE    VARIOUS  KINDS  OF  POE^TRY.  24 1 

Home,"  was  a  writer  of  still  another  class  of  songs  indigen- 
ous to  the  United  States.  They  are  negro  melodies,  sad  and 
quaint,  and  many  of  them  will  last  forever.  "The  Old 
Folks  at  Home  ' '  in  both  words  and  air  cannot  be  surpassed. 
Its  rhythm  is  iambic  : 

way  down  Qpon  d6  Swane6  RibbSr, 

Far,  far  away — 
Dare's  wha  my  heart  is  turning  ebbSr- 

Dare's  wha  de  old  f6lks  stay. 
All  up  and  down  d6  whole  creation, 

Sadly  I  roam  ; 
Still  longing  for  de  old  plantation. 

And  for  dfi  61d  folks  at  home. 

All  d6  World  am  sad  and  dreary, 

Eb'rywhere  1  roam  ; 
Oh,  darkeys,  how  my  heart  gr6ws  weary, 

Far  from  dS  61d  folks  at  home. 

All  round  d6  little  farm  I  wandered, 

When  I  was  young  ; 
Den  many  happji^  days  1  squandered. 

Many  de  songs  1  sung. 
When  I  was  playing  wid  m^  brudder, 

Happy  was  I  ; 
6h  !  take  me  to  my  kind  61d  mudder  ! 

Dare  let  me  live  and  die  ! 

One  little  hut  among  de  bushes — 

One  dat  I  love — 
Still  sadly  to  my  memory  rushes, 

N6  matter  where  1  rove. 
When  will  I  see  de  bees  a-hummtng, 

All  round  de  comb  ? 
When  will  I  hear  de  banj6  tummtng 

DOwn  in  my  good  6ld  home  ? 


242  7 HE  ART  OF  POETRY. 

Henry  Russell  is  the  author  of  "  A  Life  on  the  Ocean 
Wave. "  It  is  one  of  the  most  popular  of  the  many  beautiful 
songs  of  the  sea.  The  British  Admiralty  adopted  it  as  the 
march' of  the  Royal  Marines.  It  is  iambic  trimeter.  We 
select  the  first  stanza  : 


A  life  5n  th6  ocean  wave, 

A  home  6n  thg  rolling  deep, 
Whgre  th6  scattered  waters  rave, 

And  the  winds  thgir  revels  keep  ! 
Like  Sn  eaglS  caged,  I  pine, 

On  this  dull,  Gnchanging  shore  ; 
Oh  !  give  m6  th6  flashing  brine, 

The  spray  Snd  the  tempest  roar  ! 


"  The  Bay  of  Biscay,"  by  John  Davy,  and  "  Black-Eyed 
Susan,"  by  John  Gay,  both  favorites  in  their  day,  are  still 
popular  sea  songs. 

A  little  romance  is  attached  to  one  the  prettiest  of  the  old 
Scotch  songs.  Annie  Laurie  was  no  myth.  She  was  born 
on  thei6th  day  of  December,  1682.  Her  father  was  Sir  Rob- 
ert Laurie  of  Maxwelton,  who  lived  on  the  opposite  side  of  the 
river  Nith,  from  Dumfries,  Scotland.  William  Douglass 
wooed,  but  never  won  her.  His  song  describing  her  beauty 
and  his  passion  for  her  will  render  her  name  immortal. 
The  fickle  Annie  preferred,  however,  to  become  the  wife  of 
Sir  Robert  Ferguson,  who  possessed  riches  as  well  as  a 
name.  The  music  of  the  song  was  composed  by  Lady  Jane 
Scott,  and  both  words  and  music  will  live  for  generations  to 
come.  We  give  the  original  words  as  they  were  first 
written,  as  numerous  changes  have  been  made  to  them  since 
that  time.     The  rhythm  is  iambic. 


OF  THE    VARIOUS  KINDS  OF  POETRY.  343 

Maxwelt6n  banks  Sre  bonnie, 

VVHiere  early  fa's  th6  dew  ; 
WhSre  me  Snd  Annie  Laurie 

Made  up  the  promKse  true; 
Made  lip  the  promise  true, 

And  nev6r  fOrget  will  I ; 
And  f5r  bonnte  Annte  Laurie 

I'll  lay  mS  down  and  die. 


She's  backlt  like  the  peacdck, 

She's  breistit  like  the  swan, 
She's  jimp  about  the  middle, 

Her  waist  ye  weel  micht  span  ; 
Her  waist  ye  weel  micht  span. 

And  she  has  a  rolling  eye  ; 
And  f6r  bonnie  Annie  Laurie 

I'lllay  me  down  and  die. 


The  poets  of  the  Emerald  Isle  will  ever  be  held  in  high 
esteem  in  the  memories  and  hearts  of  all  nations.  The 
songs  of  her  writers  have  a  fei*vency  and  pathos  that  are 
unsurpassable.  The  old  song  from  which  we  select  the 
second  stanza  is  ever  dear  to  the  heart  of  her  countryman. 
This  song  is  selected  not  only  on  account  of  the  admirable 
words  but  also  for  the  reason  they  are  written  in  dactylic 
rhythm — dactylic  tetrameter: 

Over  the  green  sea,  Mavofirneen,  MavoQrneen, 

Long  sh5ne  the  white  sail  that  bore  thee  away, 

Riding  the  white  waves  that  ftiir  summer  mor-tn'. 

Just  like  a  MayflSwer  afloat  On  the  bay. 

Oh,  but  my  heart  sank  when  clouds  came  between  tis, 

Like  a  grey  curtain  6f  rain  falling  down. 

Hid  fr5m  my  sad  eyes  the  path  6'er  the  6ce3n, 

Far,  far  away  where  my  colleen  had  flown. 


2^4  THE  ART  OF  POETRY. 

Then  c5me  back  t6  Erin,  Mavotirne6n,  MavotirneSn, 
Come  back  Sgain  t6  thfi  land  6f  thy  birth  ; 
Come  backt6  Erin,  Mavotirneen,  MavoQrneSn, 
And  it's  KlUarngy  shall  ring  with  6ur  mirth. 

Claribel — "  Come  Back  to  Erin." 


It  requires  only  true  manhood  which  is  born  of  cultivation 
and  civilization  to  appreciate  anything  which  is  beautiful, 
either  of  art  or  nature.  And  even  the  careless,  the  indiffer- 
ent, and  the  impatient  lover  of  business  will  frequently  turn 
aside  and  listen  to  such  delicious  songs  of  love  as  ' '  Ever  of 
Thee  I'm  Fondly  Dreaming,"  by  Linley,  "Her  Bright 
Smile  Haunts  Me  Still,"  by  Carpenter,  or  "  Love  Not,"  by 
Caroline  Norton. 

The  field  of  song  is  one  of  the  finest,  and  every  poet  has 
entered  it,  and  many  have  told  in  song  their  tales  of  joy  or 
woe  that  will  never  die.  Burns  sang  of  his  ' '  Highland 
Mary,"  and  nothing  in  afl  of  his  wonderlul  productions  is 
superior  to  it.  "Mary  of  Argyle"  by  Nelson,  is  a  beautiful 
song.  It  is  mixed  iambic  and  anapestic  meter,  but  the  pre- 
vailing foot  is  iambic.     We  select  the  first  stanza  : 


I  have  heard  thS  mavis  singing 

His  16ve-s6ng  to  th6  morn  ; 
1  have  seen  thS  dew-dr6ps  clinging 

T6  the  rose  jtist  newly  born ; 
BQt  a  sweeter  song  has  cheered  m6 

At  the  evening's  gentle  close, 
And  I've  seen  an  eye  still  brighter 

Than  the  dew-dr6p  on  the  rose ; 
'Twas  thy  voice,  my  gentle  Mary, 

And  thine  artless,  winning  smile, 
That  made  this  world  an  Eden, 

Bonny  Mary  6f  Argyle. 


OF  THE    VARIOUS  KINDS  OF  POETR\. 


245 


' '  Only  Friends  and  Nothing  More, ' '  by  Septimus  Win- 
ner, one  of  the  famous  song  writers  of  the  New  World,  is  a 
very  pretty  song.  Alice  Hawthorne  who  is  accredited  with 
the  words  was  Winner's  mother — Hawthorne  being  her 
maiden  name.  Out  of  respect  for  his  mother,  her  talented 
and  gifted  son  has  named  her  as  the  authoress  of  some  of 
the  most  charming  and  delightful  of  songs.  One,  ' '  The 
Mocking-Bird,"  is  world  renowned,  on  account  of  the 
delicious  melody  of  the  music,  and  also  the  words  of  the 
song. 

The  stanza  selected  from  "  Only  Friends  and  NotTiing 
More,"  is  iambic  rhythm. 


WS  met  as  many  have  before 

N6r  wished  n6r  hoped  t5  meet  again  ; 
N6'er  dreaming  of  6ur  fate  Jn  store 

With  days  6f  pleasure  or  6f  pain. 
W6  met  again  with  right  g6od  will 

Yet  paused  when  parting  at  the  door ; 
W6  lingered  with  a  sigh,  bQt  still 

As  only  friends  and  nothing  more. 
W6  lingered  with  a  sigh,  bOt  still 

As  only  friends  Snd  nothing  more. 


Old  songs  that  still  live  and  are  in  touch  with  the  popular 
heart  are  many,  but  the  quaint  ones,  the  expressive  ones, 
those  that  possess  a  distinctiveness  of  their  own,  are  not  so 
numerous  as  one  would  suppose.  An  old  English  song, 
a  war  song,  entitled  ' '  I  Will  Hang  My  Harp  on  a  Willow 
Tree,"  is  such  an  one.  The  measure  is  mixed,  but  the 
iambus  is  the  prevailing  foot.  The  anapest,  however,  is 
also  found  in  almost  every  line.     We  select  the  first  stanza : 


246  THE  ART  OF  POETRY. 

I'll  hang  vci^  harp  6n  S  will6w  tree, 

I'll  off  t6  the  wars  again  ; 
My  peaceful  home  his  n6  charm  f6r  me, 

The  battlefield  n6  pain  ; 
The  Lady  1  love  will  soon  be  S  bride, 

With  5  diadem  6n  her  brow. 
Oh  !  why  did  she  flatter  my  boyish  pride, 

She's  going  t6  leave  me  now. 
Oh  !  why  did  she  flatter  my  boyish  pride, 

She's  going  t5  leave  me  now. 


Tfie  four  stanzas  composing  this  grand  old  song  are  all 
first-class,  although  a  little  different  from  the  war  music  of 
the  present  time.  There  is,  however,  something  about  the 
air  that  is  fine,  and  music  and  words  will  still  continue  to 
find  old  as  well  as  young  admirers. 

The  Civil  War  of  the  United  States  produced  many  great 
songs — songs  that  stir  the  souls  of  men.  Charles  S.  HalFs 
"John  Brown's  Body"  will  still  go  marching  on.  It  caught 
the  public  feeling  of  the  North — the  public  sentiment. 
"Dixie,"  the  great  song  of  the  South  was  composed  by 
Gen.  Albert  N.  Pike,  the  music  by  Dan  D.  Emmett.  The 
music  found  a  general  response,  not  only  in  the  South,  but 
also  in  the  North,  and  every  school  boy  sang  the  song. 
The  words  are  iambic  rhythm,  and  there  is  genuine  music 
in  every  word,  as  well  as  every  note. 

* '  Bonnie  Blue  Flag ' '  was  also  one  of  the  great  songs  of 
the  South,  and  was  written  by  H.  McCarthy.  It  is  mixed 
iambic  and  anapestic  measure,  the  iambic  foot  prevailing. 
No  song  of  the  South  was,  however,  greater  in  words  and 
music  than  "  My  Maryland."  written  in  1861  by  James  R. 
Randall.     We  select  the  third  stanza  : 


OF  THE    VARIOUS  KINDS  OF  POETRY.  247 

ThOu  wilt  n6t  cowSr  in  the  dust, 

Maryland,  my  Maryland  ! 
Thy  gleaming  sword  shall  nevfir  rust, 

Maryland,  my  Maryland  ! 
Remember  Carroll's  sacrfid  trust, 
Rgmemb^r  Howard's  warlike  thrust, 
And  all  thy  slumbCrSrs  with  thS  just, 

Maryland,  my  Maryland  ! 


We  remember  while  a  boy  in  college  hearing  Chaplain 
Charles  C.  McCabe,  who  had  just  been  released  from  a 
Southern  prison  and  was  visiting  at  the  home  of  that  great 
and  good  uncle  of  his,  Prof  L.  D.  McCabe,  of  the  Ohio 
Wesleyan  University,  sing  the  "  Batde  Hymn  of  the 
Republic."  The  song  is  by  one  of  the  grandest  of  woman- 
kind, Julia  Ward  Howe.  Nothing  we  have  ever  heard 
found  a  greater  response.  As  Chaplain  McCabe' s  voice 
went  up  it  thrilled  the  very  soul.  The  chorus  was  caught 
by  all  present,  and  men  and  women  sang  in  the  old  William 
Street  Church  upon  that  occasion  who  never  sang  before. 
The  song  is  in  the  iambic  rhythm.  We  select  the  first 
stanza. 


Mine  eyes  hSve  seen  the  glory  of  the  coming  of  the  Lord  ; 

He  Ts  trampling  out  the  vintage  where  the  grapes  6f  wrath  Are 

stored  : 
He  hath  loosed  the  fatefftl  lightning  of  His  terrible  swift  sword. 
His  truth  is  marching  on. 

Song  writing,  while  it  may  not  be  the  greatest  conception 
of  the  poet's  mind,  is  one  that  may  serve  to  keep  his  mem- 
ory green.  It  requires  feeling,  tenderness  and  sympathy  to 
write  the  sweet  songs  that  must  endure  forever. 


24.8  T^^  ANT  OF  POETRY. 

SACRED  SONGS. 

How  often  have  we  listened  in  former  days  to  good  old 
hymns,  designated  by  the  minister  as  Long  Meter,  Short 
Meter,  or  Particular  Meter.  We  did  not  then  understand,  or 
could  we  tell  just  what  was  meant  by  it.  When,  however, 
some  good  brother  would  start  the  tune,  we  could  distin- 
guish and  recognize  the  old  familiar  sound  ;  for  in  those 
days  tunes  were  scarce.  When  we  heard  the  following 
iambic  stanza: 

0  where  shall  rest  b6  found, 

Rest  for  the  weary  soul  ? 
'TwSre  vain  th6  oceSn's  depths  t6  sound, 

Or  pierce  t5  either  pole. 

Montgomery. 

it  was  not  difficult  for  us  to  distinguish  the  tune  from  the 
following,  which  the  same  brother,  who  always  led  the 
singing,  would  start,  written  in  trochaic  rhythm: 

8s  7s. 

Come,  thOu  Fount  5f  everj^  blessing, 

Tune  my  heart  t6  sing  thy  grace. 
Streams  5f  mercy  nevSr  ceasing, 

Call  f6r  songs  6f  loudest  praise. 
Teach  m6  some  melodious  sonnet, 

Sung  by  flaming  tongues  Shove  : 
Praise  th6  mount — I'm  fixed  tipon  ft  ; 

Mount  5f  thy  redeeming  love ! 

Robinson. 

Our  ear  soon  taught  us  that  this  was  Particular  or  Odd 
Meter.     We  could  distinguish  it  from  the    first,    known    as 


OF  THE    VARIOUS  KINDS  OF  POETRY. 


249 


short  measure,  or  from  this  stanza  in  iambics,  when  the 
same  good  brother  would  start  the  tune  again,  and  drawl  its 
slow  length  on  to  the  end  : 

Defim  not  that  they  Sre  blest  alone 
Wh6se  days  a  peacefQl  tenOr  keep  ; 

The  anointed  Son  5f  God  makes  known 
A  blessing  for  thg  eyes  that  weep. 

Bryant. 

This  hymn  was  designated  as  Long  Meter.  These  meas- 
ures were  also  to  be  distinguished  from  the  following  stanza 
in  iambics,  as 

I  love  t6  steal  awhile  away 

Fr6m  every  cumbering  care, 
And  spend  th6  hours  6f  setting  day 

In  humble,  gratefOl  prayer. 

Mrs.  Brown. 

This  was  known  as  common  measure.  The  Wesleys, 
John  and  Charles,  and  Dr.  Watts,  have  made  these  meas- 
ures familiar,  and  all  remember  the  old  hymns  we  learned 
at  church,  and  are  thankful  for  what  they  taught  us.  A 
stanza  of  four  iambic  lines,  the  first,  second  and  fourth 
being  trimeters  ;  the  third  line,  tetrameter,  is  designated  as 
Short  Meter. 

A  stanza  of  four  iambic  lines,  the  first  and  third  being 
tetrameter,  tlie  second  and  fourth  trimeter,  is  known  as 
Common  Meter. 

A  stanza  of  four  lines,  rhyming  in  couplets,  or  alternately, 
in  iambic  tetrameter,  is  Long  Meter.  Particular  or  Odd 
Meter  was  formerly  used  to  denote  all  other  kinds  of  meter, 
as  distinguishable  from  L.  M.,  S.  M.,  C,  M.,  etc.     We  have 


2  50 


THE  ART  OF  POETRY. 


also  what  is  known  as  the  Hallelujah  Meter,  a  stanza  of  six 
iambic  lines,  the  first  four  being  trimeter  ;  the  last  two 
tetrameter,  or  the  last  two  lines  may  be  separated  into  four 
lines,  containing  two  iambics  each,  as 

All  hail  !  the  gloriotis  morn, 

That  saw  6ur  Saviotir  rise, 
With  Victory  bright  adorned, 

And  triQmph  in  his  eyes  ; 
Y6  saints,  6xt61  yoflr  risSn  Lord, 

And  sing  his  praise  with  sweet  accord. 

"  Psalms  and  Hymns." 

Long  Particular  Meter  is  still  another  form  of  the  stanza 
in  which  some  of  our  hymns  are  written.  The  stanza  is 
iambic.  The  six  lines  are  tetrameter,  the  third  and  sixth 
rhyming  together,  the  others  rhyming  in  couplets,  as 

Let  mortals  tremble  and  adore 
A  God  6f  such  resistless  power, 

N6r  dare  indulge  their  feeble  rage  ; 
vain  are  yoQr  thoughts,  and  weak  yoOr  hands, 
Bttt  his  eternal  counsel  stands, 

And  rules  the  world  fr6m  age  t6  age. 

"  Psalms  and  Hymns." 

All  the  above  stanzas  but  one  are  written  in  iambics.  The 
second  stanza  is  in  trochaic  measure.  The  iambic  is  a 
favorite  measure  for  hymns. 

OTHER  METERS. 

But  we  have  many  beautiful  hymns  in  other  measures. 
Many  hymns  are  designated  as  8s  and  7s,  7s,  6s  and  8s,    8s 


OF  THE    VARIOUS  KINDS  OF  POETRY.  25 1 

and  7s  and  4s,  lis,  12s,  etc.  This  simply  has  reference  to 
the  number  of  syllables  contained  in  the  line  or  verse  of  the 
stanza. 

A  common  form  of  our  hymns  is  the  trochaic  tetrameter, 
lines  of  eight  and  seven  syllables  rhyming  alternately.  The 
line  of  seven  syllables  being  catalectic.  This  form  in  our 
hymn  books  is  denominated  the  8s  and  7s. 

It  would  be  much  better  were  we  to  name  it  properly — 
trochaic  tetrameter. 

Hymns  written  in  trochaic,  dactylic,  or  anapestic  meter 
are  however,  designated  only  by  figures,  giving  us  no  clue 
to  the  rhythm.  Were  the  name  of  the  meter  added,  as, 
IIS,  anapestic  tetrameter,  our  hymns  would  be  properly 
designated. 

The  following  stanza  of  an  old  hymn  is  in  anapestic 
rhythm,  6s  and  9s  : 

"  0  h5w  happy  are  they 
Wh6  the  SavioQr  6bey, 
And  have  laid  tip  their  treasGre  above  ! 
0  what  tongue  can  Express 
The  sweet  c6mf6rt  and  peace 
6f  a  soul  in  its  earliest  love  ?  " 

C.  Wesley. 

The  first,  second,  fourth  and  fifth  lines  are  anapestic 
dimeter,  the  third  and  sixth  anapestic  tetrameter. 

Our  hymns  have  been  greatly  improved  in  recent  years  ; 
not  only  have  many  new  and  beautiful  ones  been  added,  but 
the  music  has  been  vastly  improved.  We  remember  hear- 
ing an  eminent  divine  once  say,  ' '  The  church  has  all  the 
good  hymns,  but  the  de'il  has  all  the  best  tunes."  This 
can  no  longer  be  said.      Hymnology  has  kept  pace  with  the 


252 


THE  ART  OF  POETRY. 


times.  Such  benefactors  as  Philip  PhilUps,  Ira  D.  Sankey, 
P.  P.  BHss  and  many  others  have  revolutionized  church 
hymns  and  church  music.  Some  of  our  hymns  are  the 
most  beautiful  of  songs.  The  slow  and  sorrowful  iambics 
of  the  long,  short  and  common  meters  are  being  replaced  by 
sweet  strains  in  trochaic,  anapestic  and  dactylic  rhythms. 
What  can  be  more  beautiful  than  the  tender  and  pathetic 
hymn,  written  by  Frances  Laughton  Mace.  It  is  trochaic 
tetrameter.     We  give  the  first  stanza  : 


Only  waiting  till  thg  shad6ws 

Are  a  littlS  longer  grown  ; 
Only  waiting,  till  the  glimmer 

Of  the  day's  Iftst  beam  hSs  flown  ; 
Till  the  night  6f  earth  is  faded 

From  the  heJirt  6nce  full  6f  day  ; 
Till  the  stars  6f  heaven  ftre  breaking 

Through  the  twilight  soft  ,1nd  gray. 

"Only  Waiting." 

Another  woman,  Sarah  Flower  Adams,  has  written  for  us 
another  beautiful  hymn.  It  is  mixed  measure,  the  iambic 
being  the  prevailing  foot.  The  first,  third,  fifth  and  sixth 
lines  are  iambic  trimeter  ;  the  second,  fourth  and  seventh 
lines,  iambic  dimeter.     We  give  the  first  stanza  : 

Nearer  my  God,  t6  thee, 

Nearer  t6  thee  ! 
£'en  though  it  be  fl  cross 

ThSt  rfiiseth  me  ; 
Still  nil  my  song  shftll  be 
Nearer  my  God,  t6  thee 

Nearer  t6  thee  ! 

"  Nearer  My  God  to  Thee." 


OF  THE    VARIOUS  KINDS  OF  POETRY. 


253 


Bishop  Heber  is  the  author  of  a  beautiful  hymn  in  dac- 
tylic rhythm.  It  is  the  IIS  and  los,  dactylic  tetrameter. 
We  give  the  first  stanza  : 

Brightest  Snd  best  6f  th6  sons  5f  th6  morning, 
Dawn  \\\  5ur  darkness  and  lend  Os  thine  aid  ; 
Star  5f  th6  East,  th6  h5riz5n  Sdorntng, 
Guide  where  5ur  InfSnt  Redeemer  is  laid. 

"  The  Beautiful  River  "  is  still  another  of  our  hymns  that 
will  be  sung  until  the  children  of  earth  are  gathered  on  the 
other  shore.  It  is  trochaic  tetrameter.  We  give  the  first 
Stanza  : 

Shall  we  gather  at  the  rivSr 

Where  bright  angel  feet  hflve  trod  ; 

With  its  cryst.ll  tide  fOrever 
FlowTng  by  the  throne  6f  God  ? 

Chorus — 

Yes,  we'll  gather  at  the  river, 
The  beaiitifQl,  the  beautifQl  river — 
Gather  with  the  saints  St  the  river, 
That  fl6ws  by  the  throne  6f  God. 

Rev.  Robert  Loivry. 

The  "  Sweet  By  and  By,"  a  hymn  in  anapestic  rhythm, 
is  another  of  our  popular  hymns.  We  give  the  second 
stanza  : 

we  shall  sing  6n  that  beautiftil  shore 

The  melodfofls  songs  6f  the  blest, 
And  ^ur  spirits  shall  sorrOw  n6  more 

N5t  a  sigh  f6r  the  blessing  6f  rest 


254  THE  ART  OF  POETRY. 

Chorus — 

In  the  sweet  by-and-by, 

we  shall  meet  5n  that  beauttfOl  shore, 
In  the  sweet  by-ind-by, 

W6  shall  meet  6n  that  beautiftil  shore. 

S.  Filnwre  Bennett. 


While  many  beautiful  hymns  have  been  written,  and  old 
ones  arranged  to  new  music,  there  is  a  charm  that  lingers 
around  many  old  ones,  and  they  will  never  die.  We 
mention  "  Old  Hundred,"  written  by  Dr.  Isaac  Watts, 
it  being  a  paraphrase  of  the  one  hundredth  Psalm,  the 
music  by  G.  Franc,  1554  ;  "Jesus,  Lover  of  My  Soul," 
Rev.  CharJes  Wesley,  1740,  the  music  by  Simeon  B. 
Marsh  in  1798;  "Rock  of  Ages,"  written  by  Rev.  A. 
M.  Toplady,  1776,  and  set  to  music  1830  by  Dr.  Thomas 
Hastings;  "  Sweet  Hour  of  Prayer,"  written  in  1846  by 
Rev.  W.  H.  Walford,  arranged  to  music  in  1859  by  W.  H. 
Bradbury. 

Many  are  the  hymns  that  have  survived  for  over  one 
hundred  years,  and  are  fresh  in  the  minds  of  the  people 
today. 

THE  ODE. 

Odes  are  of  four  kinds  Sacred,  Heroic,  Moral  and 
Amatory.  The  ode  is  one  of  the  most  elevated  forms  of 
lyric  compositions.  Ode,  derived  from  the  Greek,  meaning 
song,  originally  meant  any  poem  adapted  to  be  sung.  The 
ode  is,  however,  to  be  distinguished  from  the  song.  It  is 
the  loftiest  form  of  lyrical  poetry,  embodying  as  it  does  the 
most  elevating  thoughts  and  most  intense  emotions  of  the 
writer.     It  is  usually  written  in  an  abrupt,  concise  and  ener- 


OF  THE   VARIOUS  KINDS  OF  POETRY.  255 

getic  style.  The  meters  are  often  irregular  and  are  not 
arranged  by  any  fixed  stanzaic  law,  but  by  a  deeper  law  — 
that  feeling  which  guides  the  soul  of  inspiration  on  and  on, 
in  rapt  emotion,  regardless  of  the  demands  of  the  stanza. 
Poetry  may,  however,  lose  immensely  by  not  being  governed 
by  a  fixed  stanzaic  law  for  much  of  its  beauty  depends  upon 
the  fixed  regularity  of  its  rhyme.  Odes  are,  however,  irreg- 
ular, and  call  forth  the  highest  art  of  the  poet  in  adapting 
the  meters  and  cadences  to  the  ever  varying  changes  of 
sentiment  and  imagmative  thought. 


THE  SACRED  ODE. 

Byron's  Hebrew  Melodies  and  Moore's  Sacred  Melodies 
contain  fine  specimens  of  lyrical  beauty.  Milton's  ode  on 
the  "  Nativity"  is  still  another  fine  example: 

And  on  that  cheek  find  o'er  that  brow 

S6  soft,  s6  calm,  s6  elSquent, 
The  smiles  that  win,  th6  tints  that  glow, 

Biit  tell  6f  days  lin  goodness  spent, — 
A  mind  at  peace  wKth  all  below, 

A  heart  wh6se  love  is  innScent. 

Byron — "She  Walks  in  Beauty." 

THE  MORAL  ODE. 

Odes  of  this  nature  express  sentiment  suggested  by 
friendship,  humanity  of  heart,  and  patriotism.  Lanier's 
"  Ode  to  the  Johns  Hopkins  University  "  is  an  example  in 
iambic  : 


256  T^E  ART  OF  POETRY. 

And  here,  0  finer  Pallas,  long  remain, — 
Sit  on  these  Maryland  hills,  and  fix  thy  reign, 
And  frame  a  fairfir  Athens  than  Cif  yore 

In  these  blest  bounds  6f  Baltimore, — 

Here,  where  the  climates  meet 
That  each  may  make  th6  other's  lack  c6mplete, — 
Where  Florida's  s5ft  Fav6nian  airs  beguile 
ThS  nipping  North, — where  Natflre's  powers  smile, — 
Where  Chesapeake  h6lds  frankly  forth  her  hands 
Spread  wide  with  invitation  to  all  lands. — 
Where  now  the  eager  people  yearn  \h  find 
The  organizing  hand  that  fast  may  bind 
Lo5se  straws  6f  aimless  aspiration  fain 

In  sheaves  6f  serviceable  grain, — 

Here,  old  and  new  in  one, 
Throtigh  nobler  cycles  round  a  richer  sun 

6'er-rule  6ur  modern  ways, 
0  blest  Minerva  of  these  larger  days  ! 

THE  AMATORY  ODE. 

It  is  better  known  as  a  love  song.  Most  English  and 
American  poets  have  contributed  to  this  great  class  of 
literature.  Goethe,  Schiller  and  Heine  are  the  most  cele- 
brated of  the  German  writers  who  have  contributed  to  this 
species  of  poetry.  The  Madrigal  is  a  little  amorous  poem 
that  may  be  properly  classed  under  this  head.  Byron's 
"Maid  of  Athens,"  Tennyson's  "Maud,"  and  Burns' 
"  Highland  Mary"  are  among  the  finest  specimens  of  our 
love  songs,  expressing  refined  sentiment  and  tender  affection: 

0,  sad  are  they  wh5  know  n5t  love. 

But,  far  fr6m  passi5n's  tears  and  smiles. 
Drift  down  a  moonless  sea  and  pass 
The  silver  coasts  hi  fairy  isles. 
Thomas  Bailey  Aldrich — "  Sad  Are  They  Who  Know  Not  Love." 


OF  THE    VARIOUS  KINDS  OF  POETRY.  257 

THE  HEROIC  ODE. 

Odes  of  this  species  celebrate  and  sing  the  praises  of 
heroes  and  are  mostly  occupied  with  martial  exploits. 
Lowell's  "  Commemoration  Ode  "  and  Coleridge's  "Ode 
to  France  ' '  are  specimens  of  this  species  : 

Our  fathers  fought  f6r  Liberty, 
They  struggled  long  and  well, 
History  of  their  deeds  can  tell — 

Btit  did  they  leave  tis  free  ? 

Lowell — "Fourth  of  July  Ode." 

'Twas  at  the  royal  feast,  ftSr  Persia  won 
By  Philip's  warlike  son  ; 
Aloft  in  awfQl  state 
The  Godlike  her5  sate 

On  his  imperial  throne  ; 
His  valiant  peers  were  placed  aroiind, 
Their  brows  with  roses  and  with  myrtles  bound 
(S6  should  desert  in  arms  be  crowned.) 
The  lovely  Thais,  by  his  side, 
sate  like  a  blooming  Eastern  bride 
In  flower  5f  youth  and  beauty's  pride. 
Happy,  happy,  happy  pair  ! 
None  bfit  the  brave, 
None  btit  the  brave, 
None  bQt  the  brave  deserves  the  fair. 
Chorus — 

Happy,  happy,  happy  pair  ! 
None  bfit  the  brave, 
None  but  the  brave. 
None  btit  the  brave  deserves  the  fair. 
John  Dryden — "Alexander's  Feast ;  or,  the  Power  of  Music." 

Thfls  bright  fSrever  miiy  she  keep 

Her  fires  6f  tolerant  Freedom  biirning, 

Till  wiir's  red  eyes  are  charmed  t6  sleep 
And  bells  ring  home  the  boys  returning. 

Jolm  Hay — "Centennial," 


258  THE  ART  Oh  POETRY. 

THE  BALLAD. 

It  is  only  in  very  enlightened  communities  that  books 
are  readily  accessible.  Metrical  composition,  therefore, 
which,  in  a  highly  civilized  nation,  is  a  mere  luxur}%  is,  in 
nations  imperfectly  civilized,  almost  a  necessary  of  life,  and 
is  valued  less  on  account  of  the  pleasure  which  it  gives  to 
the  ear,  than  on  account  of  the  help  which  it  gives  to  the 
memory.  A  man  who  can  invent  or  embellish  an  interest 
ing  story,  and  put  it  into  a  form  which  others  may  easily 
retain  in  their  recollection,  will  be  always  highly  esteemed 
by  a  people  eagei*  for  amusement  and  information,  but 
destitute  of  libraries.  Such  is  the  origin  of  ballad-poetry, 
a  species  of  composition  which  scarcely  ever  fails  to  spring 
up  and  flourish  in  every  society,  at  a  certain  point  in  the 
progress  towards  refinement.  Tacitus  informs  us  that  songs 
were  the  only  memorials  of  the  past  which  the  ancient 
Germans  possessed.  We  learn  from  Lucan  and  from  Am- 
mianus  Marcellinus  that  the  brave  actions  of  the  ancient 
Gauls  were  commemorated  in  the  verses  of  Bards.  During 
many  ages,  and  through  many  revolutions,  minstrelsy  re- 
tained its  influence  over  both  Teutonic  and  the  Celtic  race. 
The  vengeance  exacted  by  the  spouse  of  Attila  for  the  murder 
of  Siegfried  was  celebrated  in  rhymes,  of  which  Germany  is 
still  justly  proud. 

The  exploits  of  Athelstane  were  commemorated  by  the 
Anglo-Saxons,  and  those  of  Canute  by  the  Danes,  in  rude 
poems,  of  which  a  few  fragments  have  come  down  to  us. 
The  chants  of  the  Welsh  harpers,  preserved,  through  ages 
of  darkness,  a  faint  and  doubtful  memory  of  Arthur.  In 
the  Highlands  of  Scotland  may  still  be  gleaned  some  relics 
of  the  old  songs  about  Cuthullln  and   Fingal.      The  long 


OF  THE  VARIOUS  KINDS  OF  POETRY. 


259 


Struggle  of  the  Servians  against  the  Ottoman  power  was 
recorded  in  lays  full  of  martial  spirit. 

We  learn  from  Herrera  that  when  a  Peruvian  Inca  died, men 
of  skill  were  appointed  to  celebrate  him  in  verses,  which  all 
the  people  learned  by  heart  and  sang  in  public  on  days  of 
festival.  The  feats  of  Kurroglou,  the  great  freebooter  of 
Turkistan,  recounted  in  ballads  composed  by  himself,  are 
known  in  every  village  of  Northern  Persia. 

Captain  Beechey  heard  the  Bards  of  the  Sandwich  Islands 
recite  the  heroic  achievements  of  Tamehameha,  the  most 
illustrious  of  their  kings.  Mungo  Park  found  in  the  heart 
of  Africa  a  class  of  singing  men,  the  only  annalists  of 
their  rude  tribes,  and  heard  them  tell  the  story  of  the  victory 
which  Damel.  the  negro  prince  of  the  Jaloffs,  won  over  Ab- 
dulkader,  the  Musselman  tyrant  of  Foota  Torra.  This 
species  of  poetry  attained  a  high  degree  of  excellence 
among  the  Castilians,  before  they  began  to  copy  Tuscan 
patterns.  It  attained  a  still  higher  degree  of  excellence 
among  the  English  and  the  Lowland  Scotch,  during  the 
fourteenth,  fifteenth,  and  sixteenth  centuries.  But  it  reached 
its  full  perfection  in  ancient  Greece  ;  for  there  can  be  no 
doubt  that  the  great  Homeric  poems  aregenerically  ballads, 
though  widely  distinguished  from  all  other  ballads,  and 
indeed  from  almost  all  other  human  compositions,  by  tran- 
scendent sublimity  and  beauty. 

Lord  Macaulay. 


Among  the  modern  poets,  Schiller,  Goethe,  Hood,  Cow- 
per,  Carleton,  Tennyson,  Lang  and  Dobson  have  written 
some  of  the  finest  ballads.  William  Cowper's  "  John  Gil- 
pin's   Ride,"     is   a   ballad    known   to    almost   every  one. 


.'?6o  THE  ART  OF  POETRY. 

Thomas  Campbell  ranks  as  one  of  the  best  of  English 
writers,  and  few  ballads  have  been  more  popular  with  the 
general  reader  than  "Lord  Ullin's  Daughter."  Thomas 
Hood  was  an  inimitable  writer,  one  who  could  spin  puns  and 
take  even  the  bright  side  of  life  when  adversity  was  his 
almost  constant  companion.  His  "  Faithless  Nelly  Gray  " 
is  a  ballad  that  will  ever  be  remembered,  and  his  work 
abounds  with  good  things  in  this  species  of  poetry.  Oliver 
Wendell  Holmes  has  also  given  to  the  world  some  excellent 
ballads. 

Our  common  English  ballads  record  in  easy  verse  incidents 
and  adventures.  Here  is  a  stanza  of  one  of  the  earlier 
ballads  : 

CHEVY   CHASE. 

."  The  drivers  through  thS  wo6ds  went 

For  t6  rouse  thg  deer, 
BowmSn  hovfired  Qpon  th6  bent' 

With  their  brSad  arrOws  clear, 
ThSn  thg  wild  deer  through  thS  wo6ds  went 

On  every  side  full  shear,  ^ 
Greyh5unds  through  th6  grOve  glent^ 

For  t6  kill  thgse  deer." 

*  Upland.     -  Many.      '  Chased. 

The  ballad  of  today  is  in  higher  favor  than  poems  of  a 
didactic  character.  The  ballads  of  the  present  day  are  not 
merely  simple  narratives  without  any  symbolical  meaning  ; 
they  are  artistic  tales,  in  conception  grand,  and  in  execution 
perfect,  and  are  frequently  of  an  exceedingly  high  order. 
Schiller's  ballads  are  among  his  best  poems,  and  he,  without 
doubt,  was  second  to  none  of  Germany's  great  poetic 
geniuses.       "The  Diver"    is  one  of  his  most    fascinating 


OF  THE  VARIOUS  KINDS  OF  POETRY.  26 1 

ballads.  With  admirable  art  the  poet  has  heightened  the 
effect  of  one  of  the  best  German  stories  by  ornamenting 
the  poem  with  those  graces  of  description  which  were  ever 
at  his  command.  He  selects  anapestic  rhythm,  which  he 
uses  with  such  metrical  beauty  that  from  the  commencement 
until  the  conclusion  the  reader  is  carried  along  entranced  by 
the  simple  style  of  recital  of  which  Schiller  was  a  master. 
We  select  three  stanzas  : 

Thgn  outspSke  th6  daughter  in  tender  SmotiSn — 
"Ah  !  father,  my  father,  what  more  cSn  there  rest? 

finough  6f  this  sport  with  the  pitiless  ocean — 

He  has  served  thee  Ss  none  wotild,  thyself  hast  c5nfest. 

If  nothing  can  slake  thy  wild  thirst  5f  desire, 

Let  thy  knights  ptit  t6  shame  the  exploit  Of  the  squire  !  " 

The  King  seized  the  goblet,  he  swung  it  6n  high, 

And  whirling,  it  fell  in  the  roar  5f  the  tide  ; 
"  BQt  bring  back  that  goblet  again  t5  my  eye, 

And  I'll  hold  thee  the  dearest  that  rides  by  my  side  ; 
And  thine  arms  shall  embrace  as  thy  bride,  I  decree. 
The  maiden  wh5se  pity  n5w  pleadeth  for  thee." 

And  heaven,  as  he  listened,  spoke  out  frOm  the  space, 

And  the  hope  that  makes  herOes  shOt  flame  frOm  his  eyes  ; 

He  gazed  6n  the  blush  in  that  beautif Ql  face — 
It  pales— at  the  feet  6f  her  father  she  lies  ! 

H6w  priceless  the  guerd5n  ! — a  moment,  a  breath, 

And  headl5ng  he  plunges  tO  life  and  t6  death. 

John  Hay  is  the  author  of  "Jim  Bludsoe,"  "BantyTim," 
and  "Little  Breeches,"  three  excellent  ballads  in  dialect. 
Mr.  Hay  is  a  fascinating  author  of  both  prose  and  poetry, 
whose  verse  has  an  air  of  polished  personality.  We  have 
selected  the  following  stanza  from  "  Banty  Tim,"  originally 
published  in  Harper  s  Magazine. 


262  TfiE.  ART  OF  POETRY. 

L6rd  !  how  th6  hot  sQn  went  f5r  us, 

And  br'iled  find  bUstgred  Snd  burned  ! 
H6w  the  Rebel  buUfits  whizzed  rSund  us 

Wh6n  a  cuss  tn  his  death-grip  turned  ! 
Till  along  toward  dtisk  1  seen  a  thing 

1  couldn't  believe  f6r  a  spell  : 
That  niggSr — that  Tim— was  a  crawlin'  t6  me 

Throtigh  that  fire-pro6f,  gilt-Sdged  hell ! 

Oliver  Wendell  Holmes  has  written  a  ballad  of  early- 
New  England  life  entitled,  "  Agnes,"  from  which  we  have 
selected  the  following  stanza  : 

The  old,  6ld  story, — fair  and  young, 

And  fond, — and  not  to6  wise, — 
That  matrons  tell  with  sharpened  tongue 

T6  maids  with  downcast  eyes. 

Of  Tennyson's  ballads,  "  Locksley's  Hall,"  "Lady 
Clare"  "  The  Lord  of  Burleigh,"  and  "  Edward  Gray"  are 
the  finest.  No  prettier  ballad  adorns  the  English  language 
than  ' '  Lady  Clare  : ' ' 

It  was  the  time  whSn  lilies  blow, 

And  clouds  are  highest  up  in  air, 
L6rd  Ronald  brought  a  lily-white  doe 

T5  give  his  cousin.  Lady  Clare. 

THE  ELEGY. 

To  be  able  to  move  the  affections  should  be  the  greatest 
aim  and  effort  of  the  poet.  To  be  able  to  touch  the  heart- 
strings of  mankind  is  a  rare  gift  and  power,  and  he  who 
succeeds  in  doing  so  is  a  benefactor  of  mankind.  One  of 
our  most  delightful  writers,  who  has  given  to  the  world 
dialect  poetry  that  has  pleased  all  mankind,  refused  the  offer 


OF  THE  VARIOUS  KINDS  OF  POETRY.  263 

of  a  large  sum  in  the  lecture  field,  that  he  might  continue  to 
write  poems  and  give  to  the  world  his  book  offerings.  He 
said  there  was  a  little  monitor  within  his  breast  that  told  him 
this  was  a  duty  he  owed  to  mankind.  It  is  not,  however, 
altogether  his  poems  in  dialect  that  makes  Riley  one  of 
the  most  lovable  of  poets.  He  owes  a  greater  part  of  his 
popularity  to  his  power  to  reach  the  human  heart  in  depict- 
ing the  scenes  of  daily  life,  which  he  seizes  upon  and  makes 
the  themes  of  his  poetry.  Brush  away  the  dialect  from 
Riley's  poems  and  you  still  have  thoughts  and  expressions 
that  glitter  like  polished  diamonds,  and  which  carry  you 
entranced  throughout  the  reading,  on  account  of  the  deep 
feeling  that  pervades  his  every  thought.  His  lines  are  full 
of  tender  sympathy,  simple  pathos,  and  emotion,  that  finds 
a  ready  response  in  the  hearts  of  men  who  cannot  write,  but 
who  feel  and  see  and  know  well  that  which  is  written,  and 
are  ready  critics,  capable  of  pronouncing  just  verdicts.  To 
this  class  of  readers  Riley  owes  his  wide  popularity.  His 
poetry  is  not  unlike  Gray,  Burns,  Moore,  and  Cowper,  of 
the  past  generation ;  and  it  ranks  with  Longfellow,  Tenny- 
son, Whittier,  Bryant,  Holmes,  and  Lowell,  of  the  present 
generation  in  its  elegiac  character.  The  elegy  combines 
simplicity  and  pathos;  and  a  tenderness  that  frequently 
springs  from  an  overpowering  melancholy.  Elegiac  poetry 
must  necessarily  be  begotten  of  the  finest  impulse  of  the 
human  soul.  It  is  always  of  the  mournful  and  somewhat 
contemplative  class  of  poetry.  It  appeals  directly  to  the 
sympathies  of  mankind.  It  may  or  it  may  not  express 
grief,  yet  a  tone  of  melancholy  always  pervades  the  senti- 
ment, frequently  born  of  the  burning  heart-throbs  of  despair 
that  seizes  upon  the  gifted  sons  of  song,  from  whose  wretch- 
edness, and  sorrow,  and  intense  feelings  thousands  of  readers 
receive  joy  and  delight. 


264  THE  AR 1    OF  POE  TR  Y. 

Elegiac  poetry  is  various  in  character.  The  grief  that 
one  heart  expresses  another  pours  out  in  a  manner  entirely 
different,  although  both  show  and  express  the  tenderness 
and  pathos  of  a  sensitive  and  fine  nature.  Let  us  make  a 
few  selections  from  James  Whitcomb  Riley : 

Wh^n  Bessie  died — 

W6  writhed  in  prayer  finsatisfied  ; ' 

W6  begged  6f  God,  Snd  He  did  smile 

In  silence  on  tis  all  thS  while  ; 

And  we  did  see  Him,  throOgh  6ur  tears, 

Enfolding  that  fSir  form  6f  hers, 

ShS  laughing  back  Sgainst  His  love 

The  kissfes  we  had  nothing  of — 

And  death  t6  us  Hfi  still  denied, 

Whgn  Bessie  died. 

"  When  Bessie  Died." 

What  can  be  more  expressive  than  the  stanza  selected 
from  the  poem  entitled,  "Little  Mahala  Ashcraft  ?  "  We 
select  the  fourth  stanza.      Its  lines  are  iambic  heptameter  : 

ThSy's  sorr6w  in  th6  wavin'  leaves  6f  all  th6  applg-trees  ; 
And  s6rr6w  in  the  harvfist-sheaves,  find  s6rr5w  in  th6  breeze  ; 
And  sorrOw  in  thS  twitter  of  the  swallSrs  'round  th6  shed  ; 
And  all  the  song  hgr  red-bird  sings  is  "  Littlg  Haly's  dead  !  " 

"A  Leave  Taking"  is  a  poem  full  of  that  rare  beauty 
peculiar   to   the   writings  of  Riley — human    nature   vividly 

portrayed  : 

1  kiss  the  eyes 
On  either  lid, 
Where  her  I5ve  lies 
F6rever  hid. 

1  cease  my  weeping 

And  smile  Snd  say  : 
I  will  be  sleeping 

Thus,  s6me  day ! 


OF  7 HE  VARIOUS  KINDS  OF  POETR  Y.  265 

How  beautiful  these  lines.     Every  word  comes  from  the 
depths  of  deep  thought,  sad  and  reflective  : 

Th6n  the  face  6f  &  Mother  lo6ks  back,  throtigh  the  mist 

Of  the  tears  thSt  5re  welling  ;  and,  lucSnt  with  light, 
I  see  the  dear  smile  6f  the  lips  I  hSve  kissed 

As  she  knelt  by  my  cradle,  at  morning  Snd  night ; 
Biit  my  arms  are  6utheld,  with  a  yearning  to6  wild 

F6r  any  bQt  God  in  His  love  t6  inspire, 
As  she  pleads  at  the  foot  6f  His  throne  f6r  her  child, — 

As  I  sit  in  silence  and  gaze  in  the  fire. 

Riley — "  Envoy." 

"  In  the  Dark  "  is  another  pathetic  poem  from  which  we 
have  selected  two  stanzas  : 

And  I  think  Of  the  smihng  faces 

That  Qsed  tO  watch  and  wait. 
Till  the  click  Of  the  clock  was  answered 

By  the  click  Of  the  opening  gate — 

They  are  not  there  now  in  the  evening — 

Morning  Or  noon — nOt  there  ; 
Yet  1  know  that  they  keep  their  vigil, 

And  wait  f6r  me  S6mewhere. 


The  poet  Coleridge  has  defined  an  elegy  to  be  that  form 
of  poetry  natural  to  the  reflective  mind.  It  may  treat  of 
any  subject,  but  must  treat  of  no  subject  for  itself,  but,  always 
and  exclusively  with  reference  to  the  poet  himself. 

Riley's  peculiar  genius  is  such  that  while  he  may  have 
many  imitators  there  can  never  be  but  one  Riley.  If  we 
read  his  poems  as  the  swallow  skims  the  air,  we  might  be 
led  to  say  there  is  nothing  but  frivolity  and  fun  in  all  his 
writings.     This  is  not  true,  however.     While  many  of  his 


266  THE  AR  T  OF  POE  TK  Y. 

poems  abound  in  the  pleasantries  of  life  and  are  mirth-provok- 
iiig,  few  writers  deal  more  directly  with  the  sad  perversities 
of  life : 

N6w — sad  perversity  !  My  theme 

Of  rarest,  purest  joy 
Is  when,  in  fancy  blest,  I  dream 

1  am  a  little  boy. 

Riley — "  Envoy." 


From  deep  sorrow  ofttimes  comes  great  joy, — for  out  of 
sorrow  or  sadness  may  come  joy  to  the  sons  of  song,  after 
the  teardrops  have  been  wiped  away  from  the  soulful  eye. 
The  misfortunes  that  seemingly  are  the  inheritance  of  some 
of  our  great  men  of  letters,  have  given  the  staid  old  world  an 
inheritance  in  the  writings  of  these  gifted  sons  that  delights 
and  benefits  mankind,  even  though  these  treasures  are 
frequently  wrung  from  their  very  heart's  blood.  The  blind- 
ness of  Milton  gave  the  world  some  of  the  rarest  of  poetic 
gems.  The  melancholy  of  Gray  gave  the  world  an  elegy 
that  has  never  been  equaled.  The  great  elegiac  effort  of 
Tennyson,  "In  Memoriam,"  at  the  death  of  his  friend, 
Arthur  Hallam,  is  the  echoings  of  a  sad  and  sorrowful  heart. 
Tennyson  who  was  afflicted  from  his  infancy  with  a  lack  of 
good  eyesight,  never  mingled  with  the  gay  festivous  world 
or  dealt  with  its  frivolities.  To  him  the  death  of  a  friend 
like  Sir  Arthur  meant  something,  and  he  sorrowed  over  his 
loss,  and  sorrowing  gave  to  the  world  "  In  Memoriam  : " 

I  sometimes  hold  it  half  a  sin 

T5  put  in  words  the  grief  I  feel  : 

F6r  words,  like  NatQre,  half  reveal 
And  half  cfinceal  the  Soul  within. 


OF  THE  VARIOUS  KINDS  OF  POETRY.  267 

BGt,  for  thg  Qnqulfit  heart  Snd  brain, 

A  use  tn  meastired  language  lies  ; 

ThS  sad  tn&hanTc  exercise, 
Ltke  dull  narcotTcs,  numbing  pain. 

In  words,  Uke  weeds,  I'll  wrap  mS  o'er, 
Like  coarsest  clothes  3gainst  thS  cold  ; 
Bflt  that  large  grief  which  these  Enfold 

Is  given  Kn  outline  and  n6  more. 

Tennyson — "  In  Memoriam." 

William  Cullen  Bryant  wrote  ' '  Thanatopsis ' '  at  the  age 
of  eighteen  years.  His  own  version  of  how  it  came  to  be 
written  is  here  given  :  "Wandering  in  the  primeval  forest 
over  the  floor  of  which  were  scattered  the  gigantic  trunks  of 
fallen  trees,  mouldering  for  long  years,  and  suggesting  an 
indefinitely  remote  antiquity,  and  where  silent  rivulets  swept 
along  through  the  carpets  of  dead  leaves,  the  spoil  of  thous- 
ands of  summers,  the  poem  'Thanatopsis'  was  composed." 
Richard  Henry  Dana,  who  was  then  one  of  the  brilliant 
young  editors  of  the  North  American  Review,  and  who 
was  himself  a  gifted  poet,  saw  beauty  in  the  lines  and  gave 
the  poem  to  the  world, — its  author's  fame  was  made.  Many 
beautiful  lines  of  the  elegiac  character  have  since  come  from 
his  pen.  In  "October,  1866,"  Bryant  tenderly  embalms 
the  memory  of  one  to  whom  he  once  addressed  "Oh 
Fairest  of  the  Rural  Maids. ' '  Frances  Fairchild  was  the 
person  to  whom  he  addressed  his  song,  and  whom  he  wedded 
and  afterwards  lived  with  for  nearly  half  a  century.  We 
select  the  eighth  stanza  of  "  October,  1866  :  " 

I  gaze  in  sadness,  it  delights  m6  not 
T6  look  6n  beauty  which  th6u  canst  n6t  see  ; 
And,  wert  th5u  by  my  side,  thS  dreariest  spot 
W6re,  O,  hOw  far  m6re  beaiitifiil  t6  me. 


268  THE  ART  OF  POETR  Y. 

These   lines   of  "  Thanatopsis,"  from  which  we  quote, 
are  a  vivid  picture  of  man's  destiny. 

C6mes  a  stfll  voice  : — Y6t  a  ffew  days,  Snd  thee 

The  all-b6holding  sun  shall  see  n6  more 

In  all  his  course  ;  n6r  yet  in  the  c6ld  ground, 

Where  thy  pSle  form  wSs  laid,  with  many  tears, 

N6r  in  thg  Embrace  6f  oc^an,  shall  gxist 

Thy  image.     Earth,  that  nourished  thee,  shall  claim 

Thy  growth,  t6  be  resolved  t6  earth  again  ; 

And,  lost  each  human  trace,  sQrrendSring  up 

Thine  TndividQal  being,  shalt  th6u  go 

T6  mix  fSrevSr  with  thS  elements  ; 

T6  be  a  brother  to  the  insensible  rock, 

And  to  the  sluggish  clod,  which  the  rftde  swain 

TQms  with  his  share,  Snd  treads  tipon.     The  oak 

Shall  send  his  roots  abroad,  and  pierce  thy  mold. 


Robert  Burns  was  one  of  Nature's  darlings.  No  poet, 
past  or  present,  has  so  truly  depicted  the  joys  and  sorrows, 
the  needs  and  wrongs,  the  follies,  as  well  as  the  passions  and 
virtues  of  mankind.  In  Burns  the  people  of  Scotland 
found  a  true  representative,  especially  that  strong  race  of 
middle  life,  from  whence  have  sprung  many  of  the  sturdiest 
and  best  men.  Burns,  however,  owes  much  of  his  lasting 
popularity  to  elegiac  verse.  It  is  said  of  Burns  that  he  was 
grave,  serious,  contemplative,  possessing  a  thoughtful  mind. 
While  he  was  the  poet  of  the  lowly  and  espoused  their  cause 
on  all  occasions,  it  is  a  mistake  to  esteem  Burns 

"  The  simple  Bard,  r6ugh  at  the  rustic  plough." 

He  was  reserved  and  dignified  in  his  demeanor  and 
commanded  the  greatest  respect  among  the  very  best 
literary  men  of  his  time.  He  was  fairly  educated,  having 
received  good  instruction  in  all  the  common  branches,  suffic- 


OF  THE  VARIOUS  KINDS  OF  POETRY. 


269 


ient  to  enable  him  to  write,  and  write  correctly.  Is  it  a 
wonder  then,  that  one  possessed  of  his  high  qualities,  could 
write  such  lines  of  ideal  beauty,  born  of  study,  genius  and 
inspiration  ? 

Y6  banks  and  braes  6'  bonnie  Doon, 

H6w  can  y6  bloom  sSe  fresh  and  fair; 
H5w  can  yS  chant.  yS  littlfi  birds. 

And  I  sSe  weary  fu'  6'  care  ! 
Th6u*lt  break  my  heart,  th5u  warbling  bird, 

That  wantCns  through  th6  flowering  thorn  ; 
Th6u  minds  mS  o'  departed  joys. 

Departed — nev6r  to  return  1 

Aft  hae  I  roved  by  bonny  Doon, 

T6  see  thS  rose  and  woodbine  twine ; 
And  ilka  bird  sang  6'  its  luve, 

And  fondly  sae  did  I  6'  mine. 
Wi'  lightsSme  heart  1  pou'd  a  rose, 

Fti'  sweet  Qpon  its  thorny  tree  ; 
And  my  fause  luv6r  stole  \\\^  rose, 

Btit  ah  !  he  left  the  thorn  wi'  me. 

Burns — "The  Banks  of  Doon." 

Burns  tells  us  in  no  mistaken  strain,  how  dearly  his  friend, 
Captain  Matthew  Henderson,  was  esteemed  for  his  good 
fellowship.  His  elegy,  to  use  his  own  language,  "  is  a 
tribute  to  the  memory  of  a  man  I  loved  much."  We  select 
the  fifth  stanza  : 

M6urn,  little  harebells  o'er  the  lea  ! 
Ye  stately  f6xgl6ves  fair  t6  see  1 
Ye  woodbines,  hanging  bonnilie. 

In  scented  bowers ! 
Ye  roses  on  yoQr  thorny  tree. 

The  first  5'  flowers  ! 

"Lines  on  M.  Henderson." 


270  ^^tIE  ART  OF  POETRY. 

Noble  and  pathetic  are  the  hnes  in  memory  of  Mary- 
Campbell,  one  whom  Burns  had  loved.  The  words  are 
sweet  music,  penned  by  a  sad  heart  three  years  after  the 
death  of  his  Mary,  in  October,  1789,  on  the  anniversary  of 
her  death. 

Th6u  lingering  star,  with  lessening  ray, 

That  lovest  t6  greet  thS  early  morn. 
Again  th6u  iisherest  in  th6  day 

My  Mary  from  my  soul  wis  torn. 
6  Mary  1  dear  departed  shade  ! 

Wh6re  is  thy  place  5f  blissful  rest  ? 
Segst  thou  thy  lovSr  lowly  laid  ? 

HearesTthou  thg  groans  that  rend  his  breast? 

That  sacred  hour  can  I  f  5rget, 

Can  I  fCrget  th6  halI5wed  grove, 
Where  by  thS  winding  Ayr  w6  met, 

T5  live  5ne  day  6f  parting  love  ! 
£ternity  will  not  efface 

Th5se  rec5rds  dear  6f  transports  past. 
Thy  image  at  6ur  last  embrace, — 

Ah  !  little  thought  we  'twas  6ur  last ! 

Ayr,  gurgling,  kissed  his  pebbled  shore, 

O'erhung  with  wild  wo6ds,  thickening  green  ; 
The  fragrant  birch,  and  hawth5rn  hoar. 

Twined  amorotis  round  the  raptQred  scene  ; 
The  flowers  sprang  wantOn  to  be  prest, 

The  birds  sang  love  6n  every  spray — 
Till  too,  to5  soon,  the  glowing  west 

Prdclaimed  the  speed  6f  winged  day. 

Still  o'er  these  scenes  my  memory  wakes, 

And  fondly  broods  with  miser  care  ; 
Time  but  th'  impressi6n  stronger  makes, 

As  streams  their  channels  deeper  wear. 


OF  THE  VAKIOUS  KLXDS  OF  POETRY.  27 1 

0    Mary  !  dear  departed  shade  ! 

Where  is  thy  place  6f  blissf  Ql  rest  ? 
StJest  thou  thy  lovSr  lowly  laid  ? 

HSarest  thou  thS  groans  thSt  rend  his  breast? 

"  To  Mary  in  Heaven." 

We  could  multiply  examples  from  Burns,  but  one  more 
will  suffice,  a  stanza  in  memory  of  ''  Highland  Mary," 
— Mary  Campbell  of  Dunoon,  on  the  Firth  of  Clyde. 

Thy  crystal  stream,  Aft6n,  h6w  lovely  it  glides, 
And  winds  by  thg  cot  where  my  Mary  resides  ; 
H5w  want6n  thy  waters  h6r  snowy  feSt  lave, 
As  gathering  sweSt  flowerets  sh6  stems  thy  cl6ar  wave. 

"  Flow  Gently,  Sweet  Afton." 

Emerson,  while  he  may  not  rank  with  our  most  celebrated 
poets,  has  left  a  volume  of  poetry  that  finds  a  high  place  in 
literature.  He  is  universally  conceded  to  be  one  of  the  first 
of  prose  writers  ;  and  we  may  add,  to  him  the  world  is  also 
indebted  for  poetry  that  must  always  be  held  in  high  esteem 
for  its  elevated  thoughts.  Emerson  was  a  thinker.  His 
poetry,  therefore,  is  not  of  that  dreamy  nature  peculiar  to 
many  of  our  most  gifted  artists  in  song.  His  poetry  is 
refined,  elegant  and  subtle,  calm  and  serene.  His  poems 
are  not  characterized  by  that  peculiar  fever-heat  which 
belongs  only  to  the  masters.  To  Emerson,  however,  we 
must  credit  one  of  the  best  of  elegies.  It  was  in  memory 
of  his  lost  child — his  ' '  hyacinthine  boy. ' '  It  was  born  of  the 
sorrow  that  brings  mankind  to  tears.  It  was  born  of  that 
sorrow  only  those  can  feel  and  realize  who  have  lost  one 
most  near  and  dear.  It  was  born  of  that  sorrow  where  tear- 
drops cease  to  flow,  and  the  sorrowing  heart  ceases  to  be 
comforted  ;  and  torn  and  rent,  gives  voice  to  its  feelings  in 
elegiac  verse, — verse  that  beats  time  to  the  aching  heart- 
throbs, and  tells  its  story  in  an  outburst  of  sorrow. 


272  THE  ART  OF  POETRY. 

6  child  6f  paradise, 

B6y  who  made  dear  his  father's  home, 

In  whose  de^p  eyes 

M6n  read  thg  welfare  of  th6  times  t5  come, 

1  am  to6  much  bereft : 

The  world  dishon5red  thou  hast  left. 

0  truth's  and  natQre's  costly  lie  ! 

0  trusted  broken  prophecy  ! 

(3  richest  fortCine  sourly  crossed  ! 

B6rn  for  the  f utQre,  to  the  f utQre  lost ! 

Enter S071 — "Threnody. " 

It  was  Lord  Macaulay,  we  believe,  who  said  Gray  would 
go  down  to  posterity  with  a  thinner  volume  of  verse  than 
any  other  one  of  our  great  poets.  Gray  was  a  timid  youth, 
one  so  fearful  seemingly  of  mankind,  that  he  was  almost  a 
recluse.  Gray  had  a  fine  sensitive  nature  ;  his  fiber  was 
more  of  heaven  than  of  earth,  and  he  was  ill  fitted  to  cope 
with  anything  rude  or  boisterous.  His  fellow  studrnts 
accused  him  of  being  over  fastidious,  but  his  nature  and 
organization  was  higher  and  he  could  ill  enjoy  their  vulgar 
sports.  Though  not  a  writer  of  a  great  number  of  poems 
Gray  has  written  what  might  be  termed  the  greatest  of  all 
poems,  his  "Elegy  Written  In  a  Country  Churchyard," 
completed  and  published  in  1751.  The  favor  in  which  it 
was  received  surprised  even  its  author,  who  said  sarcastic- 
ally, that  it  was  owing  entirely  to  the  subject,  and  that  the 
public  would  have  received  it  equally  well  in  prose.  There 
is  no  poem  in  the  English  language  more  decidedly  popular. 
It  appeals  to  a  feeling  all  but  universal, — applicable  to  all 
ranks  and  classes  of  society.  The  poem  exhibits  the  highest 
poetic  sensibility  and  the  most  cultivated  taste.  No  poem 
in  the  English  language  is  more  figurative,  nor  is  there  any 
of  greater  metrical  beauty.     The  popularity   which    it   first 


OF  THE  VARIOUS  KINDS  OF  POETRY. 


273 


attained,  today  continues  unabated.  The  original  manu- 
script bequeathed  by  the  poet  to  his  friend,  Mr.  Mason,  is 
still  in  existence.  It  sold  in  1845  for  five  hundred  dollars  ; 
in  1854  it  was  again  placed  upon  the  market,  bringing  the 
fabulous  sum  of  six  hundred  and  fifty-five  dollars.  The 
original  manuscript  was  written  with  a  crow-quill,  a  favorite 
pen  of  the  author,  on  four  sides  of  a  double  half  sheet  of 
yellow  foolscap,  in  a  neat,  legible  hand.  Gray  had  but  one 
enemy  in  life — the  gout,  from  which  he  died.  He  lived 
contentedly  and  in  comparative  ease,  devoting  his  time  to 
travel  and  books,  of  which  he  was  ever  fond.  A  delicate, 
handsome,  effeminate  soul,  he  lived  and  died  one  of  the 
greatest  of  literary  geniuses.  The  entire  elegy  is  here 
given  : 


The  curfew  tolls  the  knell  of  parting  day, 
The  lowing  herd  winds  slowly  o'er  the  lea. 

The  ploughman  homewSrd  plods  his  weary  way, 
And  leaves  the  world  t6  darkness  and  t6  me. 

N6\v  fades  the  glimmering  landscape  on  the  sight. 
And  all  the  air  a  solemn  stillness  holds, 

Stive  where  the  beetle  wheels  his  droning  flight, 
And  drowsy  tinklings  lull  the  distant  folds  : 

save  that,  fr6m  yonder  ivy-mantled  tower, 
The  moping  owl  does  to  the  moon  c5mplain 

Of  such  as,  wandering  near  her  secret  bower, 
M61est  her  ancient  solitary  reign. 

Beneath  thOse  rugged  elms,  that  yew-tree's  shade, 
Where  heaves  the  tiirf  in  many  a  mouldering  heap, 

Kach  in  his  narr6w  cell  fSrever  laid, 

The  rude  forefathers  of  the  hamlet  sleep. 


274 


THE  ART  OF  POETRY. 

The  breezy  call  6f  incSnse-breathtng  morn, 

The  swall6\v  twittering  from  th6  straw-buTlt  shed, 

The  cock's  shrill  clari6n,  or  th6  ech5Ing  horn, 
N6  more  shall  rouse  thSm  from  thgir  lowly  bed. 

F6r  them  n6  more  thfi  blazing  hearth  shall  burn, 
Or  bus)^  housewife  ply  h6r  evening  care  ; 

N6  children  run  t6  lisp  their  sire's  rgtiirn, 
Or  climb  his  knees  th6  envied  kiss  t5  share. 

Oft  did  the  harvest  to  their  sicklS  yield, 
Their  furrow  oft  th6  stubborn  glebe  hSs  broke  ; 

H5w  jocund  did  th^y  drive  their  team  afield  ! 

H6w  bowed  thg  woods  beneath  their  sturdy  stroke  ! 

Let  not  SmbitiSn  mock  thgir  iiseffll  toil, 
Their  homely  joys,  and  destiny  5bscure ; 

N5r  grandeQr  hear  with  a  disdainf  ill  smile 
The  short  and  simple  annals  of  the  poor. 

The  boast  5f  heraldry,  the  pomp  6f  power, 
And  all  that  beauty,  all  that  wealth  e'er  gave, 

Await  alike  the  inevitable  hour  ; 
The  paths  6f  glor^  lead  but  to  the  grave. 

N6r  you,  ye  proud,  impute  t6  these  the  fault, 
If  memory  o'er  their  tomb  n6  trophies  raise, 

Where  through  the  long-drawn  aisle  and  fretted  vault 
The  pealing  anthem  swells  the  note  Gf  praise. 

can  storied  iirn,  6r  animated  bust. 

Back  to  its  mansion  call  the  fleeting  breath  ? 

can  honor's  voice  pr5v6ke  the  silent  dust, 
Or  flattery  soothe  the  diill  c61d  ear  Of  death  ? 

Perhaps  in  this  neglected  spot  is  laid 
■  S5me  heart  Once  pregnant  with  celestial  fire  ; 
Hands  that  the  rod  Of  empire  might  have  swayed, 
Or  waked  tO  ecstasy  the  living  lyre  ; 


OF  THE  VARIOUS  KINDS  OF  POETRY. 

Bat  Knowledge  to  thSir  eyes  hgr  amplg  page 
Rich  with  the  spoils  5f  time  did  ne'er  tinroll ; 

Chill  pentiry  repressed  thSir  nobIS  rage, 
And  froze  thS  genial  cixrrSnt  of  thg  soul. 

FQll  many  S  gem  6f  piirgst  ray  sfirene 
The  dark  tinfath5med  caves  6f  oceSn  bear  ; 

Ftill  many  a  flower  is  born  t5  blush  tinseen, 
And  waste  its  sweetness  on  th6  desert  air. 

S5me  village  Hampdgn,  that,  with  dauntless  breast, 
The  littlS  tyrant  of  his  fields  withstood, 

S6me  mute  ingloriotis  Milt5n  here  may  rest, 
S6me  CromwSU  guiltless  of  his  country's  blood. 

Th6  applause  6f  listening  senates  to  c5mmand, 
Th6  threats  6f  pain  and  ruin  to  despise, 

T5  scatter  plenty  o'er  a  smiling  land. 

And  read  thgir  history  in  a  natiSn's  eyes, 

Thfeir  lot  fSrbade:   nor  circumscribed  alone 
Their  growing  virtues,  but  thgir  crimes  c6nfined  ; 

F6rbade  t5  wade  throQgh  slaughter  to  a  throne. 
And  shiit  th6  gates  5f  mercy  on  mankind, 

The  striiggling  pangs  6f  consciotis  triith  t6  hide, 
T6  quench  thS  blushfis  of  ingenuofis  shame. 

Or  heap  thS  shrine  5f  luxtiry  and  pride 
With  incense  kindled  at  thS  Miise's  flame. 

Far  from  the  madding  crowd's  ignoble  strife, 
Their  sober  wishes  never  learned  to  stray  ; 

Along  the  cool  sequestered  vale  6f  life 
They  kept  the  noiseless  tenor  of  their  way. 

Yet  even  these  bOnes  from  insult  t6  prStect, 
S6me  frail  memorial  still,  erected  nigh. 

With  iinco&th  rhymes  and  shapeless  sciilptflre  decked. 
Implores  the  passing  tribtite  of  a  sigh. 


275 


276 


THE  ART  OF  POETRY. 

Their  name,  their  years,  spelt  by  th'  iinlett6red  Muse, 

The  place  Of  fame  and  elegy  sGpply  : 
And  many  S  holy  text  Ground  she  strews, 

That  teach  the  rustic  moralist  t5  die. 

• 
F5r  who,  t6  dumb  f5rgetf  fllness  a  prey, 

This  pleasing  anxious  being  e'er  resigned, 
Left  the  warm  precincts  of  the  cheerfQl  day, 

N5r  cast  6ne  longing,  lingering  look  behind  ? 

On  some  f  5nd  breast  the  parting  soul  relies, 
S6me  pioQs  drops  the  closing  eye  requires  ; 

fi'en  from  the  tomb  the  voice  5f  nattJre  cries, 
E'en  in  6ur  ashes  live  their  wonted  fires. 

F5r  thee,  wh5,  mindfQl  of  th'  tinh6n5red  dead, 

DOst  In  these  lines  their  artless  tale  relate  : 
If  chance,  by  lonely  contemplation  led, 

SOme  kindred  spirit  shall  inquire  thy  fate, — 

I 
Haply  s6me  hoary-headed  swain  mSy  say  : 

Oft  have  we  seen  him  at  the  peep  5f  dawn 
Brushing  with  hasty  steps  the  dews  away, 

T6  meet  the  sun  tipon  the  iipland  lawn. 

There  at  the  foot  5f  yonder  nodding  beech, 
That  wreathes  its  old  fantastic  roots  sO  high. 

His  listless  length  at  noontide  would  he  stretch, 
And  pore  Qpon  the  brook  that  babbles  by. 

Hard  by  y5n  wood,  nOw  smiling,  as  in  scorn, 
Muttering  his  wayward  fancies,  he  woQld  rove  ; 

N6w  drooping,  woeftil-wan,  like  one  fOrlorn, 
Or  crazed  vvitli  care,  Or  crossed  in  hopeless  love. 

One  morn  I  missed  him  on  the  'customed  hill, 
Along  the  heath,  and  near  his  favorite  tree  ; 

Another  came  ;  nOr  yet  beside  the  rill, 
NOr  up  the  lawn,  nOr  at  the  wood  was  he  : 


OF  THE  VARIOUS  KINDS  OF  POETRY.  277 

The  next,  with  dirgSs  due,  in  sad  array, 

Slow  through  th6  church-wSy  path  wS  saw  him  borne: — 
Approach  Snd  read  (fbr  thou  cSnst  read)  th6  lay 

Graved  6n  thg  stone  bgneath  y5n  agSd  thorn. 

THE  EPITAPH. 

Here  rests  his  head  tipon  th6  lap  6f  earth 
A  youth  t6  fortQne  and  t6  fame  tlnknown  : 

Fair  Science  frowned  n6t  on  his  humblS  birth, 
And  Melancholy  marked  him  foT  hSr  own. 


Large  was  his  bounty,  and  his  soul  sincere  ; 

Heaven  did  a  rec5mpense  as  largely  send  ; 
He  gave  t6  misery  (all  h6  had)  a  tear, 

He  gained  fr6m  Heaven  ('twas  all  he  wished)  S  friend. 


N6  farther  seek  his  merits  to  disclose. 
Or  draw  his  frailties  from  their  dread  abode, 

(There  they  alike  in  trembling  hope  rep6se\ 
The  bosOm  of  his  Father  and  his  God. 


It  was  Wolfe,  the  hero  of  Quebec,  on  the  eve  of  that 
decisive  battle,  gliding  down  the  St.  Lawrence  in  the  dark- 
ness of  midnight  with  his  fellow  officers  in  a  boat,  who  re- 
peated the  elegy  to  them.  At  the  close  of  the  recitation 
said  he  :  "  Now,  gentlemen,  I  would  rather  be  the  author 
of  that  poem  than  take  Quebec  !  "  In  a  few  hours  after- 
wards Wolfe  had  taken  Quebec.  Yet  the  path  of  glory  led 
but  to  the  grave. 

The  elegy  properly  speaking  may  be  classed  as  lyric 
poetry.  Many  other  beautiful  elegies  might  be  given. 
Shelley's  "  Adonais"  on  the  death  of  his  friend  and  brother 
bard,  John  Keats,  is  one  of  the  finest  in  the  English  language. 

John  Milton's  "Lycidas,"  commemorative  of  the  virtues  of 


278 


THE  AR  T  OF  POE  TR  Y. 


his  friend,  Edmund  King  ;  Collins'  "  Dirge  in  Cymbeline," 
and  Burns'  "  Man  Was  Made  To  Mourn,"  are  all  fine  speci- 
mens of  elegiac  verse.  The  elegy  is  one  of  the  grandest  of 
all  departments  in  the  realm  of  poetical  literature. 

THE  EPITAPH. 

An  Epitaph  is  an  inscription  on  a  monument  in  honor  or 
memory  of  the  dead.  Many  of  these  inscriptions  were 
formerly  written  in  quaint  and  curious  verse.  Our  ancestors 
were  given  to  epitaphic  writing  more  than  the  writers  of  the 
present  day.  Another  definition  given  is,  a  eulogy  in  prose 
or  verse  composed  without  any  intent  to  be  engraven  on  a 
monument ;  hence  an  epitaph  may  be  termed  a  brief  de- 
scriptive poem  commemorative  of  the  virtues  of  the  dead. 
An  epitaphic  stanza  in  iambics  : 

Ere  sin  cotild  blight  5r  s6rr5w  fade, 

Death  came  with  friendly  care  ; 
TI16  opening  bud  t5  Heaven  c5nveyed. 

And  bade  it  bloss6m  there. 
Samuel  Taylor  Coleridge — "Epitaph  On  An  Infant." 

The  following  epitaph  is  also  in  iambic  rhythm  : 

St6p,  mortal !    Here  thj^  brother  lies — 

The  Poet  of  the  Poor. 
His  books  were  rivers,  woods,  and  skies, 

The  meadOw  and  the  moor  ; 
His  teachers  were  the  torn  heart's  wail, 

The  tyrant  and  the  slave, 
The  street,  the  factory,  the  gaol, 

The  palace — and  the  grave  ! 
Sin  met  thy  brother  everywhere  ! 

And  is  thy  brother  blamed  ? 
Frf)m  passiSn,  danger,  doubt,  and  care, 

He  no  exemption  claimed. 

Ebe7tezer  Elliott — "A  Poet's  Epitaph." 


OF  THE    VARIOUS  KINDS  OF  POETRY.  279 

The  following  is  an  elegant  epitaph  in  trochaic  rhythm  : 

tJndSmeath  thTs  marble  hearse 
Lies  the  subject  of  all  verse, 
Sydney's  sister, — Pembroke's  mother. 
Death,  Sre  thou  hSst  slain  another 
Fair  Snd  wise  and  good  Ss  she, 
Time  shall  throw  a  dart  at  thee  ! 

Marble  piles  ISt  no  man  raise 
To  h6r  name  Kn  aftfer  days  ; 
Some  kind  woman,  born  as  she, 
Reading  this,  like  Ni5be 
Shall  tQrn  marble,  and  become 
Both  h^r  moumgr  and  hgr  tomb. 
Benjonson — "Epitaph  on  the  Countess  of  Pembroke." 

The  stanzas  following  are  in  iambic  rhythm  : 

Is  there  a  whim-lnspirfid  fool, 

Owre  fast  fbr  thought,  6wre  hot  R3r  rule, 

dwre  blate  t6  seek,  6wre  proud  t6  snool ; 

LSt  him  draw  near, 
And  owre  this  grassy  heap  sing  dool, 

And  drap  a  tear. 

Is  there  a  bard  6f  rustic  song, 

Wh6,  noteless,  steals  th6  crowd  among,  ' 

That  weekly  this  area  throng  ; 

6,  pass  n5t  by  ; 
BQt,  with  a  frater-feeling  strong, 

H6re  heave  a  sigh  ! 

Is  there  a  man  wh6se  judgment  clear 
Can  others  teach  the  course  t6  steer. 
Yet  runs  himself  life 's  mad  career. 

Wild  as  the  wave  ; 
Here  pause,  and,  through  the  starting  tear, 

SQrvey  this  grave. 


28o  THE  AR  T  OF  FOE  TF  V. 

Th6  poor  inhabitant  below 

WSs  quick  t6  learn  &nd  wise  itS  know, 

And  keenly  felt  thg  friendly  glow, 

And  sober  flame  ; 
Btit  thoughtless  follies  laid  him  low, 

And  stained  his  name  ! 


Reader,  attend, — whether  thy  soul 
Sftars  fancy's  flights  beyond  the  pole. 
Or  darkly  grubs  this  earthly  hole, 

In  low  pursuit ; 
Kn6w,  prudent,  cautiotis  self-c6ntr6l 

Is  wisdom's  root. 

Robert  B2irtis — "  A  Bard's  Epitaph. 


The   lines   following,     in    iambic   rhythm,    were   written 
August  20th,   1755  : 

Beneath  thS  stone  brSve  Bradd6ck  lies, 
Wh6  alwSys  hated  cowardice, 
Btit  fell  a  savage  sacrifice  ; 

Amidst  his  Indian  foes. 
1  charge  yoti,  herSes,  of  the  ground, 
T5  guard  his  dark  pavili6n  round, 
And  keep  6fFall  Obtruding  sound, 

And  cherish  his  repose. 

Sleep,  sleep,  I  say,  brave,  valiant  miin, 
B61d  death,  at  last,  has  bid  thee  stand, 
And  to  resign  thy  great  c5mmand. 

And  cancel  thy  c5mmissi5n  ; 
Although  th5u  didst  n5t  much  incline. 
Thy  post  and  honSrs  to  resign, 
N6w  ir5n  slumber  doth  c6nfine  ; 

N6ne  envies  thy  c6nditi5n. 

Tilden — ''An  Epitaph  for  Braddock." 


OF  THE  VARIOUS  KINDS  OF  POETRY.  281 

*THE  PASTORAL. 

Pastoral  poetry,  strictly  speaking,  is  that  which  celebrates 
rustic  or  rural  life  or  deals  with  the  objects  of  external 
nature.  In  times  gone  by  pastoral  poetry  was  used  to 
depict  shepherd  life  by  means  of  narratives,  songs  and  dia- 
logues. The  pastoral  poems  of  Virgil  were  called  Ec- 
logues. An  Eclogue  is  a  pastoral  in  which  shepherds  are 
represented  as  conversing.  Theocritus  wrote  pastoral  poems 
termed  Idyls.  An  Idyl  is  a  short  descriptive  pastoral. 
The  term  Idyllic  poetry  is  now  applied  to  the  pastoral. 
This  variety  of  poetry  is  very  popular,  and  meets  with  a 
just  appreciation  by  the  public.  Pastoral  poetry  depicts  all 
the  beauties  of  rural  life, — mountain  scenery,  lowland  vales, 
majestic  rivers,  expansive  lakes,  rifting  clouds,  birds,  beasts, 
insects,  flowers,  and  rural  scenes ;  and  rural  sports  in  all  their 
various  phases,  are  subjects  of  this  kind  of  poetry.  Poems 
of  nature  are  classed  under  this  head,  as  the  following  iambic 
lines  :  ' 

(I). 

H5w  beautiftll  is  th§  rain  ! 

After  the  dust  and  heat, 

In  the  broad  And  fiery  street, 

In  the  narrow  lane, 

H6w  beautifai  is  th6  rain  ! 

H6w  ft  clatters  along  thg  roofs. 

Like  the  tramp  5f  hoofs  ! 

H6w  ft  gOshes  and  strQgglgs  out 

Fr6m  th6  throat  6f  the  overflowing  spout ! 


*P"or  The  Sonnet,  see  page  107.     The  Epigram,  see  page  203. 


282  THE  ART  OF  POETRY. 

Across  thS  wind6w-pane 
It  pours  and  pours  ; 
And  swift  find  wide, 
With  a  muddy  tide, 
Like  a  rivSr  down  th6  gutter  roars 
The  rain,  the  welcOme  rain  ! 
The  sick  man  fr6m  his  chamber  looks 
At  the  twisted  brooks  ; 
He  can  feel  the  cool 
Breath  6f  each  little  pool ; 
His  fevered  brain 
GrOws  calm  again, 

And  he  breathes  a  blessing  on  the  rain. 
Henry  Wadsworth  Longfellow — "  Rain  in  Summer. 


(2). 


G6ne,  gone,  s6  soon  ! 
N5  more  my  half-crazed  fancy  there 
can  shape  a  giant  in  the  air, 
N6  more  1  see  his  streaming  hair, 
The  writhing  portent  of  his  form  ; — 

The  pale  and  quiet  moon 
Makes  her  calm  forehead  bare, 
And  the  last  fragments  of  the  storm, 
Like  shattered  rigging  from  a  fight  at  sea. 
Silent  and  few,  are  drifting  over  me. 

James  Russell  Lowell — "  Summer  Storm. 


(3). 

H6w  sweet,  at  set  6f  sun,  t6  view 

Thy  golden  mirr6r  spreading  wide, 
And  see  the  mist  6f  mantling  blue 

F16at  round  the  distant  mountain's  side. 

James  Gates  Percival — "To  Seneca  Lake. 


OF  THE  VARIOUS  KINDS  OF  POETRY.  283 

(4). 

Whtch  is  the  wind  that  brings  the  flowers  ? 

The  west-wind,  Bessie  ;  find  soft  and  low 
The  birdies  sing  in  the  summer  hours 

When  the  west  begins  t6  blow. 
Edmund  Clarence  Stedman — "What  the  Winds  Bring." 

(5). 

Lithe  and  long  as  the  serpent  train, 

Springing  and  clinging  fr5m  tree  t6  tree, 
N6w  darting  upward,  n5w  down  again, 

With  a  twist  and  a  twirl  that  are  strange  t5  see  ; 
Never  to6k  serpent  a  deadlier  hold, 

Never  the  coiigar  a  wilder  spring, 
Strangling  the  oak  with  the  boa's  fold. 

Spanning  the  beach  with  the  condftr's  wing. 

William  Gilmore  Sitnms — ' '  The  Grap>e- Vine  Swing. ' ' 

(6). 

"  Wh6  planted  this  61d  apple-tree  ?  " 
The  children  of  that  distant  day 
ThQs  to  s6me  aged  man  shall  say  ; 
And,  gazing  on  its  mossy  stem. 
The  gray-haired  man  shall  answer  them  : 

"A  poet  of  the  land  was  he, 
B6rn  in  the  rude  bQt  good  6ld  times  ; 
'Tis  said  he  made  s6me  quaint  Old  rhymes 

6n  planting  the  apple-tree." 
William.  Cullen  Bryanl — "  The  Planting  of  the  Apple-Tree." 

(7). 

A  song  fbr  the  plant  6f  my  6wn  native  West, 

Where  nattire  and  freedom  reside, 
By  plenty  still  crowned,  and  by  peace  evSr  blest, 

T6  the  corn  !  the  green  corn  6f  her  pride  ! 


284 


THE  ART  OF  POETRY. 

In  climes  5f  thg  East  hSs  th6  olive  been  sung, 
And  the  grape  be6n  the  theme  5f  their  lays  ; 

Btit  f5r  thee  shall  S  harp  6f  the  backwo5ds  be  strung, 
ThoQ  bright,  ever  beautiffll  maize  ! 

William  W.  Fosdick — "The  Maize." 

(8), 

Btit  look  !  6'er  the  fall  see  the  angler  stand. 
Swinging  his  rod  with  skillfGl  hand  ; 
The  fly  at  the  end  5f  his  gossSmer  line 

Swims  throiigh  the  sun  like  S  summer  moth, 
Till,  dropt  with  S  careful  precisiSn  fine, 

It  touches  the  pool  beyond  the  froth. 
A-siidden,  the  speckled  hawk  6f  the  brook 
Darts  from  his  covert  and  seizes  the  hook. 
Swift  spins  the  reel  ;  with  easy  slip 
The  line  pays  oiit,  and  the  rod,  like  a  whip. 
Lithe  and  arrOwy,  tapering,  slim, 
Is  bent  t6  a  bow  6'er  the  brooklet's  brim, 
Till  the  trout  leaps  iip  in  the  siin,  Snd  flings 
The  spray  fr5m  the  flash  6f  his  finny  wings  ; 
Then  falls  5n  his  side,  and,  drunken  with  fright, 

Is  towed  t5  the  shore  like  a  staggering  barge, 

Till  beached  at  last  5n  the  sandy  marge. 
Where  he  dies  with  the  hues  5f  the  morning  light. 
While  his  sides  with  a  cliister  5f  stars  are  bright. 
The  angler  in  his  basket  lays 
The  consteilatiSn,  and  goes  his  ways. 

Thomas  Buchanan  Read — "  The  Angler." 

(9)- 

0,  fruit  l5ved  of  b6yho5d  !  the  5ld  days  recalling  ; 

When  wood-grapes  were  purpling  and  brown  nQts  were  falling  ! 

When  wild,  ligly  faces  we  carved  in  its  skin. 

Glaring  out  throtigh  the  dark  with  a  candle  within  ! 

When  we  laughed  r5und  the  corn-heap,  with  hearts  all  in  tune, 

Our  chair  a  br6ad  pumpkin,  oOr  lantern  the  moon, 


OF  THE    VARIOUS  KINDS  OF  POETRY.  285 

Telling  tales  6f  the  fairy  wh6  traveled  like  steam 
In  a  pumpkin-shell  coach,  with  tw6  rats  f5r  her  team  ! 
Then  thanks  f6r  thy  present  ! — n6ne  sweeter  6r  better 
£'er  smoked  fr6m  Sn  oven  6r  circled  S  platter  ! 
Fairer  hands  never  wrought  it  S  pastry  m6re  fine, 
Brighter  eyes  never  watched  5'er  its  baking,  than  thine  ! 
And  the  prayer,  which  my  mouth  is  to6  fiill  t6  express, 
Swells  my  heart  that  thy  shad6w  may  never  be  less, 
That  the  days  5f  thy  lot  mSy  be  lengthened  below, 
And  the  fame  6f  thy  worth  like  a  pumpkin-vine  grow. 
And  thy  life  be  as  sweet,  and  its  last  sunset  sky 
Golden-tinted  and  fair  is  thy  own  pumpkin-pie  ! 

John  Greenleaf  Whittier — "  The  Pumpkin." 

Tennyson' s  ' '  Idyls  of  the  King, ' '  Burns' s  ' '  Cotter' s  Satur- 
day Night,"  Allan  Ramsay's  "Gentle  Shepherd,"  Shen- 
stone's  "Pastoral  Ballads,"  are  fine  examples  of  pastoral 
poetry ;  while  Wordsworth,  Cowper,  and  Swinburne  abound 
in  this  excellent  verse.  Of  our  American  poets,  Longfellow, 
Whittier,  Bryant,  John  Hay,  James  Whitcomb  Riley,  Bret 
Harte,  and  Joaquin  Miller  have  poems  that  will  rank  with 
the  best  of  English  productions. 

THE  DIDACTIC. 

It  has  been  said  no  subject  is  so  unpromising  it  has  not 
been  selected  by  some  one  as  a  beautiful  theme.  Didactic 
poetry  ha''  been  oftenest  employed  in  the  presentation  of  the 
various  themes  thus  selected ;  for,  differing  from  other 
poetry,  its  chief  aim  and  object  is  instruction.  Poetry  of  this 
species  is  accompanied  with  poetic  reflection,  illustrations 
and  episodes. 

Didactic  poems  are  often  seemingly  dry  and  prosaic  ; 
they  are,  however,  many  of  them  full  of  interest,  filled  with 
noble   thoughts,  and    when  considered  as  poetical  essays, 


286  THE  ART  OF  POETRY. 

may  be  classed  among  our  finest  literature — considered  from 
a  purely  moral  and  didactic  standpoint.  Many  didactic 
poems,  however,  are  highly  ornamental  in  figurative 
language  and  metrical  beauty  : 

The  ' '  Essay  on  Criticism  ' '  and  ' '  Essay  on  Man  ' '  by 
Alexander  Pope,  Cowper's  "Task,"  Wordsworth's  "Ex- 
cursion," Dryden's  "Hind  and  Panther,"  Campbell's 
"  Pleasures  of  Hope." 

PHILOSOPHICAL. 

Far  from  my  dearfist  friend,  'tis  mine  t5  rove 
ThroOgh  bare  grSy  dell,  high  wood,  and  pastoral  cove, 
■  His  wizard  course  whSre  hoary  Derwgnt  takes, 
Thr6'  crags,  and  forfist  glooms  and  opening  lakes, 
Staying  his  sil6nt  waves,  t6  hear  th6  roar 
That  stQns  thg  tremulous  cliffs  6f  high  L5d6re, 
Whgre  peace  t6  Grasmfire's  lonely  island  leads 
T6  willowy  hedgr6ws,  and  to  emerald  meads  ; 
Leads  to  hgr  bridge,  rQde  church,  and  cottaged  grounds, 
Hgr  rocky  sheepwalks,  and  her  woodland  bounds  ; 
Where,  bosftm'd  deep,  the  shy  Winander  peeps 
'Mid  clustering  isles,  and  holy  sprinkled  steeps  ; 
Where  twilight  glens  endear  my  Esthwaite's  shore. 
And  memory  of  departed  pleastlres,  more. 
Fair  scenes  !  erewhile  I  taught,  a  happy  child. 
The  ech5es  of  yoflr  rocks  my  car6ls  wild  ; 
Then  did  n6  ebb  6f  cheerfQlness  demand 
sad  tides  5f  joy  frSm  Melancholy's  hand  ; 
In  youth's  wild  eye  the  livelong  day  was  bright, 
The  sun  at  morning,  and  the  stars  at  night, 
Alike,  when  first  the  valves  the  bittern  fills 
6r  the  first  wo6dc5cks  roamed  the  moonlight  hills. 
In  thoughtless  gayety  \  course  thC  plain, 
And  hope  itself  was  all  I  knew  5f  pain  ; 
F6r  then,  even  then,  the  little  heart  would  beat 
At  times,  while  yoiing  CSntent  f6rso6k  her  seat. 


OF  THE  VARIOUS  KINDS  OF  POETRY.  287 

And  wild  Impatience,  pointing  upwSrd,  showed, 

Where,  tipped  with  gold,  the  mountain  siimmits  glowed. 

Alas  !  the  idle  tale  5f  man  is  found 

Depicted  in  the  dial's  moral  round  ; 

With  hope  Reflecti6n  blends  her  social  rays 

T5  gild  the  total  tablet  of  his  days  ; 

Yet  still,  the  sport  5f  some  malignant  power. 

He  knows  bQt  from  its  shade  the  present  hour. 

Wordsworth — "An  Evening  Walk. " 

Six  years  had  passed,  and  forty  ere  the  six. 

When  Time  began  t6  play  his  usual  tricks  : 

The  locks  6nce  comely  in  a  virgin's  sight, 

Locks  Of  pQre  brown,  displayed  th'  encroaching  white  ; 

The  blood,  6nce  fervid,  now  t6  cool  began, 

And  Time's  str6ng  presstire  to  stibdiie  the  man. 

1  rode  6r  walked  as  I  was  wont  before, 

BQt  now  the  bounding  spirit  was  n6  more  ; 

A  moderate  pace  wottld  now  my  bddy  heal, 

A  walk  5f  moderate  length  distress  my  feet. 

I  showed  my  stranger  guest  th6se  hills  sQblime, 

Bdt  said,   "  The  view  is  poor,  we  need  n6t  climb." 

At  a  friend's  mansion  I  began  t6  dread 

The  cold  neat  parlOr  and  the  gay  glazed  bed  ; 

At  home  1  felt  a  more  decided  taste, 

And  must  have  all  things  in  my  order  placed. 

1  ceased  t6  hunt ;  my  horses  pleased  me  less, — 

My  dinner  more  ;  I  learned  t6  play  at  chess. 

1  took  my  dog  and  gun,  bQt  saw  the  brute 

Was  disappointed  that  I  did  n6t  shoot. 

My  morning  walks  I  now  coQld  bear  t6  lose, 

And  blessed  the  shower  that  gave  me  not  t5  choose. 

In  fact,  I  felt  a  languOr  stealing  on  ; 

The  active  arm,  the  agile  hand,  were  gone  ; 

Small  daily  actiOns  int5  habits  grew. 

And  new  dislike  t5  forms  and  fashions  new. 

I  loved  my  trees  in  order  to  dispose  ; 

I  nijmbered  peaches,  looked  h5w  stocks  arose  ; 

Told  the  same  story  6ft, — in  short,  began  t5  prose. 

George  Crabbe — "Tales  of  the  Hall." 


288  THE  ART  OF  POETK  Y. 

MEDITATIVE. 

1  was  a  stricken  deer,  that  left  the  herd 

L6ng  since  ;  with  many  an  arr5w  deep  Tnfixed 

My  panting  side  was  charged,  when  I  withdrew, 

T6  seek  a  tranquil  death  in  distant  shades. 

There  was  1  found  by  one  wh5  had  himself 

Been  hurt  by  the  archers.     In  his  side  he  bore, 

And  in  his  hands  and  feet,  the  cruel  scars. 

With  gentle  force  s61iciting  the  darts, 

He  drew  them  forth,  and  healed,  and  bade  me  live. 

Since  then,  with  few  associates,  in  remote 

And  silent  woods  I  wander,  far  fr6m  those 

My  former  partners  of  the  peopled  scene  ; 

With  few  associates,  and  n6t  wishing  more. 

Here  much  1  ruminate,  as  miich  I  may. 

With  other  views  6f  men  and  manners  now 

Than  once,  and  others  of  a  life  t6  come. 

1  see  that  all  are  wariderers,  gone  astray 

Each  in  his  own  deliisiSns  ;  they  are  lost 

In  chase  6f  fancied  happiness,  still  wooed 

And  never  won.     Dream  after  dream  ensues  ; 

And  still  they  dream,  that  they  shall  still  sdcceed  ; 

And  still  are  disappointed.     Rings  the  world 

With  the  vain  stir.     I  siim  Qp  half  mankind. 

And  add  tw6-thirds  Of  the  remaining  half, 

And  find  the  total  of  their  hopes  and  fears 

Dreams,  empty  dreams. 

William  Cowper — "The  Task." 

THE  EPIC. 

The  epic  or  heroic  poem  is  the  longest  of  all  poetical 
compositions,  consisting  of  a  recital  of  great  and  heroic 
events.  These  events  are  represented  as  being  told  by  the 
hero  or  some  participant  in  the  scenes.  There  should  be  a 
plot  of  interest  and  many  actors  therein  ;  added  to  which 
are  numerous  episodes,  incidents,  stories,  scenes,  pomp  and 


OF  THE    J-Ak'/OUS  A'/A'DS  OF  POETRY. 


289 


machinery.  This  latter  term  signifies  the  introduction  of 
supernatural  beings,  or,  as  Mr.  Pope  said,  "  a  term  invented 
by  the  critics  to  signify  that  part  which  the  deities,  angels 
or  demons  are  made  to  act  in  a  poem,  without  which  no 
poem  can  be  admitted  as  an  epic."  Fiction,  invention  and 
imagination  are  all  used  to  an  unlimited  extent,  and  all  re- 
counted in  the  most  elevated  style  and  language. 

Epic  poetry  is  subdivided  into  two  classes, —  the 
Great  Epic  and  the  Mock  Epic.  The  Great  Epic  poem  has 
for  its  subject  some  grand  heroic  action.  English  literature 
possesses  the  greatest  of  all  epics — Milton's  ''Paradise  Lost;" 
the  Greek  literature  furnishes  the  "  Iliad  "  of  Homer,  while 
Roman  literature  gives  us  the  "^neid"  of  Virgil,  and 
modern  Italian  literature  gives  us  Dante's ' '  Divine  Comedy. ' ' 
None  of  our  poets  of  late  years  have  attempted  a  great  epic 
l)oem,  and  few  civilized  races  have  produced  more  than  one. 
Milton's  "  Paradise  Lost,"  by  many  of  our  men  of  letters, 
is  considered  noble  in  style,  unrivaled  in  language,  artistic 
in  construction.  Ages  have  come  and  gone,  yet  Milton's 
grand  epic  is  still  considered  a  work  of  consummate  art. 

All  was  false  find  h6115w;  though  his  tongue 
'i>r6pped  mannS,  and  coflld  make  the  worse  appear 
The  better  reas6n,  to  perplex  and  dash 
Maturfist  counsels  ;  for  his  thoughts  wfire  low  ; 
T6  vice  industrious,  btit  t6  nobler  deeds 
Timorotts  and  slothftil  :  yet  hg  pleased  th6  ear, 
And  with  persuasive  acc6nt  thus  began. 

Milton — "  Paradise  Lost." 

THE  MOCK  EPIC.  , 
The  Mock  Epic  is  a  caricature  of  the  Great  Epic.      Pope's 
"Rape  of  the  Lock,"  and  "  The  Battle  of  the  Frogs  and 
Mice, ' '  from  an  unknown  Greek  original,  attributed  to  Homer, 


290 


THE  ART  OF  POETRY. 


are  notable  examples  familiar  to  the  reader.  Mr.  Pope  says 
of  the  "  Rape  of  the  Lock."  "  It  will  be  in  vain  to  deny  that 
I  have  some  regard  for  this  piece,  yet  you  may  bear  me 
witness  it  was  intended  only  to  divert  a  few  young  ladies 
who  have  good  sense  and  good  humor  enough  to  laugh  not 
only  at  their  sex's  little,  unguarded  follies,  but  at  their  own." 


And  now,  Qnveiled,  th6  toilet  stands  displayed, 
Each  silver  vase  in  mystic  ordgr  laid. 
First,  robed  in  white,  thg  nymph  intent,  adores, 
With  head  iincovgred,  the  cSsmetic  powers. 
A  heavenly  image  In  th6  glass  Appears, 
T6  that  she  bends,  t5  that  hgr  eyes  sh6  rears  ; 
Th'  inferior  priestSss,  at  hgr  altiir's  side. 
Trembling  begins  thfi  sacred  rites  6f  pride. 
tTnnumbered  treasures  ope  St  once,  find  here 
The  variotis  offerings  of  thS  world  appear  ; 
Fr6m  each  she  nicely  culls  with  curiotis  toil, 
And  decks  the  goddess  with  the  glittering  spoil. 
This  casket  India's  glowing  gems  iinlocks, 
And  all  Arabia  breathes  fr5m  yonder  box. 
The  tortoise  here  arid  elephant  tinite. 
Transformed  t5  combs,  the  speckled  and  tlie  white. 
Here  files  6f  pins  extend  their  shining  rows, 
Pfiffs,  powders,  patches.  Bibles,  billet-doCix. 
N5w  awfiil  beaOty  piits  5n  all  its  arms  ; 
The  fair  each  moment  rises  in  her  charms. 
Repairs  her  smiles,  awakens  every  grace, 
And  calls  f5rth  all  the  wonders  of  her  face  ; 
Sees  by  degrees  a  purer  blush  arise. 
And  keener  lightnings  quicken  in  her  eyes. 
Tlie  biisy  sylphs  stirround  their  darling  care, 
These  set  the  head,  and  those  divide  the  hair, 
S5me  fold  the  sleeve,  whilst  others  plait  the  gown  ; 
And  Betty 's  praised  f5r  labors  not  her  own. 

T'fl/),?— "The  Rape  of  the  Lock." 


OF  THE  VARIOUS  KINDS  OF  POETRY.  29 1 

METRICAL  ROMANCE. 

The  Romance  is  a  narrative  of  love  and  heroic  adventure. 
It  possesses  many  of  the  quahties  of  the  Epic  poem  and 
ranks  next  in  the  order  of  poetry.  It  is  a  tale  in  verse  but 
little  less  elevated  than  the  Epic.  The  passion  of  love 
which  does  not  appear  in  the  Grand  Epic  is  usually  the  lead- 
ing feature  of  the  Romance,  and  instead  of  the  machinery  of 
the  Epic  we  have  ghosts,  witches,  elves,  fairies,  fire  worship- 
ers, veiled  prophets,  and  the  peri.  Metrical  romances,  for 
the  mere  pleasure  of  reading,  give  greater  delight  than  any 
other  species.  We  have  many  romances  in  rhyme,  both 
ancient  and  modern,  and  it  is  not  difficult  to  find  examples. 
The  "Fairy  Queen"  by  Spenser,  written  in  that  peculiar 
stanza  which  now  bears  his  name — the  Spenserian — is  an 
elegant  romance,  the  "Canterbury  Tales"  by  Geoffrey 
Chaucer,  Scott's  "Lady  of  the  Lake"  and  "Marmion," 
Keats'  "Eve  of  St.  Agnes,"  Thomas  Moore's  "  Lalla 
Rookh,"  Lord  Lytton's  "Lucile,"  and  Longfellow's 
"  Evangeline  "  are  among  the  best  romances  and  metrical 
tales. 


They  glide,  like  phantSms,  int5  the  wide  hall  ! 

Like  phant6ms  to  the  ir6n  porch  they  glide, 

Where  lay  the  porter  in  Uneasy  sprawl, 

With  a  hQge  empty  flagOii  by  his  side : 

The  wakefQl  bloodhoQnd  rose  and  shook  hte  hide, 

Btlt  his  sSgaciotls  eye  an  inmate  owns  ; 

By  one,  and  one,  the  bolts  fQll  easy  slide  ; 

The  chains  lie  silent  on  the  fo6tw5rn  stones  ; 

The  key  ttirns,  and  the  door  Opon  its  hinges  groans. 

Keats — "The  Eve  of  St.  Agnes." 


292 


THE  ART  OF  POETRY. 


A  metrical  tale  of  exquisite  beauty  is  one  of  Mr.  Charles 
Algernon  Swinburne's  latest  productions — a  story  of  Ar- 
thurian days,  entitled  "Tale  of  Balen."  It  is  preeminently 
melodious,  being  wonderful  in  musical  expressions,  and 
harmonious  in  words,  and  withal  a  singular  grace  and  rare 
simplicity  of  style.  Notice  the  beautiful  rhythm  of  the  follow- 
ing stanza: 

Swift  from  his  place  Ifeapt  Balen,  smote 
The  liar  across  his  face,  find  wrote 
His  wrath  in  blood  Opon  the  bloat 
BrQte  cheek  that  challenged  shame  fSr  note 

H6w  vile  a  king  b5rn  knave  may  be. 
F6rth  sprang  their  swords,  and  Balen  slew 
The  knave  ere  well  6ne  witness  drew 
Of  all  that  round  them  stood,  6r  knew 

What  sight  was  there  t6  see. 

The  following  is  another  beautiful  stanza  from  the  poem. 
It  is  a  nine  line  stanza,  composed  of  a  quatrain  and  a  five 
line  stanza.  The  first  four  lines  of  the  stanza  are  fourfold 
rhymes,  the  fifth  and  ninth  lines  rhyme,  while  the  sixth, 
seventh  and  eighth  lines  of  the  stanza  are  threefold  or  triple 
rhymes.  It  is  an  elegant  stanza,  brisk  and  spirited  in  style 
— iambic  measure  : 

As  thought  fr6m  thought  takes  wing  and  flies, 
As  month  5n  month  with  sunlit  eyes 
Tramples  and  triQmphs  in  its  rise. 
As  wave  smites  wave  t5  death  and  dies, 

SO  chance  6n  hiirtling  chance  like  steel 
Strikes,  flashes,  and  is  quenched,  ere  fear 
Can  whisper  hope,  5r  hope  can  hear. 
If  sorrow  6rj6y  be  far  or  near 

F6r  time  t6  hurt  6r  heal. 


OF  THE  VARIOUS  KINDS  OF  POETRY. 


METRICAL  HISTORY. 


293 


The  Historical  poem  is  a  narrative  of  public  events. 
Dryden's  "Annus  Mirabilis  "  is  a  noble  example.  Macau- 
lay's  "  Lays  of  Ancient  Rome"  may  also  be  classed  under 
this  head  ;  so,  too,  ballads  descriptive  of  battles  may  be 
classed  as  metrical  history. 

THE  DRAMA. 

It  is  to  Greece  we  must  give  praise  for  the  invention  of 
the  Drama.  It  was  first  invented  and  exhibited  at  the  festi- 
vals of  the  god  Dionysus.  The  ancient  Greek  writers  tell 
us  that  the  drama  originated  in  the  choral  song.  Aristotle 
tells  us  it  had  its  origin  in  the  singers  of  dithyramb.  While 
the  drama  had  its  origin  in  pantomimic  dances  and  choral 
singing,  it  was  slowly  purified  from  its  extraneous  mixtures. 
While  lyric  poetry  by  means  of  musical  expression  by 
language  of  mental  emotions  aims  to  represent  human 
actions,  the  drama  consists  of  an  impersonal  representation 
by  the  dramatist  or  an  animated  conversation  of  various 
individuals  from  whose  speech  the  movements  of  the  story 
is  to  be  gathered  ;  thus  it  is  constructed  on  the  one  hand 
with  dialogue,  and  on  the  other  with  every  other  species  of 
poetry.  The  movements  and  thoughts  of  the  drama  are  so 
lively  and  the  expectation  of  the  issue  so  vivid  that  this  class 
of  poetry  surpasses  all  others  in  interest  and  intensity.  The 
drama  from  Greece  was  introduced  into  Rome  and  from 
there  mto  other  parts  of  Europe,  where  after  years  of  decline, 
change,  and  struggle,  with  the  vicissitudes  of  the  age,  about 
the  middle  of  the  sixteenth  century  it  extricated  itself  from 
its  ancient  fetters.  In  the  early  years  of  Christianity  actors 
were  denied  baptism,  and  the  decree   of  the  church   was 


294 


THE  ART  OF  POETRY. 


followed  by  an  edict  of  the  Emperor  Julian.  The  drama, 
however,  was  finally  appropriated  by  the  clergy,  and  plays 
known  as  Miracle  Plays  and  Moralities  followed  as  a  result. 
The  Passion  Plays  of  Germany  had  their  origin  in  this 
manner.  "The  Passion  of  Our  Saviour"  is  still  in  exist- 
ence and  played  at  Ammergau  and  is  said  to  be  the  only 
miracle  play  which  has  sur\Mved.  It  is  played  by  about  five 
hundred  peasants  instructed  by  the  village  priest,  who  con- 
ducts it  morally  and  reverently,  and  it  is  largely  attended 
by  the  peasants  of  Bavaria  and  all  parts  of  Tyrol.  These 
plays  originated  in  Europe  about  the  beginning  of  the  elev- 
enth century  and  most  of  them  had  their  ending  about  the 
middle  of  the  fifteenth  century,  and  with  their  decline  the 
drama  proper  began  to  flourish. 

The  drama  is  divided  into  two  classes,  the  Tragedy,  and 
Comedy.  The  first  known  tragedy  of  England  was  the 
joint  production  of  Mrs.  Norton  and  Lord  Buckhurst,  and 
was  known  variously  as  ' '  Ferrex  and  Porrex  "  or  as  "  Gor- 
budoc."  It  was  written  about  1562.  The  first  comedy  was 
written  about  the  middle  of  the  sixteenth  century,  1551,  by 
Nicholas  Udall,  and  was  entitled  "  Ra]})h  Roister  Doister." 
Blank  verse  was  first  introduced  into  dramatic  composition 
in  "  Ferrex  and  Porrex,"  but  the  play  was  dull  and  heavy 
and  not  a  success.  Between  this  time  and  the  advent  of 
Shakespeare,  Christopher  Marlowe  was  the  best-known 
writer  of  the  drama.  The  plays  of  ' '  Edward  II. "  and  ' '  Dr. 
Faustus  "  were  said  to  contain  passages  unsurpassed  by  even 
Shakespeare.  It  was  Marlowe  who  first  introduced  blank 
verse  upon  the  public  stage.  We  pass  Shakespeare' s  prede- 
cessors, Lyle,  Kyd,  Marlowe,  Peele,  Greene,  Lodge,  Nash, 
Chettle  and  Munday,  who  were  all  writers  of  more  or  less 
note  in  their  day  and  time  ;  the  drama  in  their  time,  though 


OF  THE    VARIOUS  KINDS  OF  POETRY. 


295 


far  from  being  in  a  crude  state,  lacked  much  of  being  in  a 
state  of  full  development.  Shakespeare  was  a  man  of 
broad  vision  ;  his  genius  as  the  poet  of  the  drama  was  then, 
as  it  has  remained  since,  unsurpassed.  At  first  he  began  to 
retouch  and  rewrite  some  of  the  old  plays  of  his  prede- 
cessors. Described  as  an  actor  and  unknown  as  a  writer, 
with  times  and  conditions  favorable  to  the  development  of 
the  English  drama  he  was  quick  to  discover  the  material  at 
hand,  which  soon  made  his  fame — a  fame  that  still  shines 
brighter  than  that  of  any  other  poet  living  or  dead.  He 
devoted  himself  to  English  and  Roman  history,  and  as  a 
result  his  historic  dramas  reached  a  perfection  that  has  never 
before  nor  since  been  attained.  Shakespeare  was  a  great 
poetical  genius  ;  he  used  blank  verse  with  the  skill  of  the 
consummate  master  that  he  was,  and  his  tragedies  and  his 
comedies  established  themselves  for  all  time  to  come  as  ex- 
amples of  the  highest  type.  His  historic  themes  became 
the  perennial  models  of  the  modern  historic  drama.  The 
influence  of  the  diction  and  versification  of  Shakespeare  can- 
not be  overrated  ;  in  his  characterizations  he  has  never  been 
equaled,  while  his  plays  furnish  models  in  every  phase  of 
human  life  and  are  a  mirror  of  humanity.  Goethe  and 
Schiller  contributed  to  the  German  drama.  Goethe's 
"Faust,"  "  Ipigenia  "  and  "  Tasso  "  are  masterpieces  of 
the  art  of  dramatic  poetry.  Schiller  contributed  ' '  Don 
Carlos, "  "  Wallenstein  ' '  and  ' '  William  Tell ' '  as  master- 
pieces of  his  genius,  a  genius  bright  as  electric  light,  illumin- 
ating the  pathway  of  those  to  follow  who  seek  the  field  of 
literature.  Sir  Edward  Bulwer-Lytton  contributed  to  the 
modern  English  drama  the  "  Lady  of  Lyons"  and  "Rich- 
elieu," both  of  which  found  great  favor.  Sheridan  gave 
an  impulse  to  the  genteel  comedy  that  is  felt  to  the  present 
day. 


296  THE  ART  OF  POETRY. 

THE  TRAGEDY. 

Tragedy  is  earnest  and  serious,  and  deals  witli  the  great 
and  sublime  actions  of  life.  It  is  generally  written  in  blank 
heroic  verse.  Its  diction  should  be  elevated.  The  calam- 
itous side  of  life  wiih  tragic  events  is  placed  before  the  public 
gaze  with  a  view  to  arouse  pity,  fear,  or  indignation,  or  it 
may  be  of  noble  deeds  in  connection  with  life's  events.  The 
subjects  of  tragedy  are  various.  Shakespeare  has  given  to 
the  world  ' '  King  Lear, ' ' '  'Othello, "  "  Macbeth, "  "  Hamlet, ' ' 
"Julius  Caesar,"  "Romeo  and  Juliet,"  and  many  other 
plays  of  great  merit  which  the  reader  may  well  refer  to  with 
profit.      "Virginias"  is  a  fine  example  of  the  tragedy. 


THE  COMEDY. 

Directly  the  opposite  of  tragedy  is  comedy,  which  seeks 
to  represent  all  the  follies  and  foibles  of  human  life,  and  has 
only  an  eye  to  the  ridiculous  and  ludicrous.  Its  humor, 
however,  should  always  be  refined  and  its  ending  be  ever 
happy.  Comedy  deals  largely  in  satire,  and  its  caricatures 
are  often  grotesque. 


THE  DIVISIONS  OF  THE  DRAMA. 

These  constitute  acts,  which  are  in  turn  subdivided  into 
scenes.  The  regular  drama  is  limited  to  five  acts.  The 
first  should  present  the  intrigue,  the  second  should  develop 
it,  the  third  should  be  filled  with  incidents  forming  its  com- 
plication, the  fourth  should  prepare  the  means  of  unraveling, 
the  fifth  should  unravel  the  plot. 


OF  THE  VARIOUS  KINDS  OF  POETRY.  297 

THE  FARCE. 

It  is  a  short  play  in  which  ridiculous  qualities  and  actions 
are  greatly  exaggerated  for  the  purpose  of  exciting  laughter. 
The  dialogues  and  characters  are  usually  taken  from  inferior 
ranks. 

THE  TRAVESTY,  OR  BURLESQUE. 

It  is  a  humorous  dramatic  composition  where  things  high 
and  low  are  commingled.  Common  thoughts  and  topics  are 
invested  with  artificial  dignity,  and  the  forms  and  express- 
ions of  serious  drama  are  imitated  in  language  of  a  ludicrous 
character. 

THE  MELODRAMA. 

The  melodrama  is  a  combination  of  the  tragic  and  comic 
interspersed  with  song  and  music  and  gorgeous  scenery.  Its 
drama  is  genteel  comedy  and  is  perhaps  more  popular  with 
the  theater-going  world  than  any  other  species  of  drama. 
Oliver  Goldsmith's  "She  Stoops  to  Conquer,"  Sheridan's 
"  Critic"  and  Jefferson's  "  Rip  Van  Winkle"  are  excellent 
illustrations. 

THE  BURLETTA. 
It  is  a  musical  drama  of  a  comic  nature. 

THE  PROLOGUE. 

An  introduction  in  verse  to  be  recited  before  the  represen- 
tation of  the  drama. 


298 


THE  ART  OF  POETRY. 


Imagine  yoQrself  then,  go5d  Sir,  in  ft  wig, 
Either  grizzle  5r  bob — never  mind,  yofl  lo5k  big. 
YoO've  a  sword  At  yoQr  side,  in  yoilr  shoes  there  ftre  biickles, 
And  the  folds  6f  fine  linen  fl.lp  over  yoGr  kniickles. 
YoG  have  come  with  light  heart,  and  with  eyes  that  are  brighter, 
Fr5m  a  pint  6f  red  Port,  and  a  steak  at  the  Mitre  ; 
Yott  have  strolled  fr6m  the  Bar  and  the  purlietis  5f  Fleet, 
And  yoQ  turn  fr6m  the  Strand  int6  Catherine  Street ; 
Thence  climb  t5  the  law-l5vihg  sQmmits  5f  Bow, 
Till  yoQ  stand  at  the  Portal  all  play-g5ers  know. 
See,  here  are  the  'prentice  lads  laughing  and  pushing. 
And  here  are  the  seamstresses  shrinking  and  blushing. 
And  here  are  the  urchins  wh5,  just  as  t5-day.  Sir, 
Buzz  at  yoti  like  flies  with  their  "Bill  5'  the  Play,  Sir ? " 
Yet  yoti  take  6ne,  n6  less,  and  yoCi  squeeze  by  the  chairs, 
With  their  freights  6f  fine  ladies,  and  mount  tip  the  stairs  ; 
So  isstie  at  last  6n  the  House  in  its  pride. 
And  pack  yoQrself  snug  in  a  box  at  the  side. 

Austin  Dob  son — Prologue  to  Abbey's  Edition  of  "She  Stoops  to 
Conquer." 

THE  EPILOGUE. 

An  address  in  verse  to  the  audience  at  the  conchi.sion  of 
the  drama.  It  is  usually  intended  to  recapitulate  the  chief 
incidents,  and  draws  a  moral  from  them. 

THE  ENVOY. 

It  is  a  sort  of  postscript  appended  to  poetical  compositions 
to  enforce  or  recommend  them. 

Go6d-bye  t5  yoQ,  Kelley,  yoQr  fetters  are  broken 
GoOd-bye  tO  yoQ,  Cumberland,  Goldsmith  has  spoken  ! 
Go6d-bye  t5  sham  Sentiment,  moping  and  mumming, 
F5r  Goldsmith  has  spoken  and  Sheridan's  coming  ; 
And  the  frank  MQse  Of  Comedy  laughs  in  free  air 
As  she  laughed  with  the  Great  Ones,  with  Shakespeare,  MOliere  ! 
Austin  Dobson — Envoy  to  Abbey's   Edition  of  "She   Stoops  to 
Conquer." 


OF  THE  VARIOUS  KINDS  OF  POETRY. 


THE  SUBJECTIVE  DRAMA. 


299 


The  drama  of  the  human  soul,  teaching  the  lessons  of 
human  struggle  to  the  higher  stages  of  life.  Goethe's  mas- 
terpiece, "Faust,"  is  a  high  type  of  this  species  of  the 
drama.  Life  is  made  up  of  incessant  toils  and  struggles  to 
nobler  ends.  This  poem  is  grand,  bringing  together  as  it 
does,  the  tragedies  and  the  comedies  of  human  life  into  a 
perfect  state  of  reconciliation. 

THE  OPERA. 

The  opera  is  a  dramatic  composition  set  to  music  and 
sung  on  the  stage,  accompanied  with  musical  instruments 
and  enriched  with  magnificent  dresses,  machinery,  dancing, 
and  songs.  Thus  made  up  of  music,  dancing,  decoration, 
and  poetry,  it  is  intended  to  please  the  sight,  and  must  be 
judged  more  from  the  standpoint  of  its  being  able  to  secure 
popular  applause  and  favor  than  from  any  real  intrinsic 
literary  merit.  To  the  opera  of  the  present  day  more  of  its 
success  frequently  lies  in  its  decorations  and  pantomimic 
character  than  to  the  parts  sung  or  spoken.  The  opera  of 
today  is  patterned  after  the  French,  Italian,  and  German. 

THE  SATIRE. 

The  satire  in  character  is  allied  to  the  didactic,  and  is 
intended  to  reform  the  abuses  it  attacks.  The  satirical 
poem  is  a  composition  in  which  wickedness  or  folly  is  ridi- 
culed, censured,  and  held  up  to  reprobation  ;  hence  it  is  an 
invective  poem.  Satirical  poetry  is  divisible  into  three 
classes.  Moral,  Personal  and  Political.  Of  the  first  class, 
Pope's  "  Moral  Essays"  and  the  satires  of  Horace  furnish 
fine  examples. 


300  THE  ART  OF  POE TR  Y. 

T5  rest,  the  cushion  and  s6ft  dean  invite, 
Wh6  never  mentions  hell  t8  ears  p5lite. 

Pope — "  Moral  Essays." 


'Tis  edticati5n  forms  the  c6mm6n  mind  ; 
Jttst  as  the  twig  Ks  bent  the  tree's  inclined. 

Idem. 


Satirical  poetry  is  also  used  for  the  purpose  of  exposing 
the  weaknesses,  the  absurdities  or  vices  of  men.  Derision, 
irony,  mockery,  sarcasm,  or  burlesque  may  be  employed.  Of 
these  personal  satires,  excellent  examples  may  be  found  in 
Dryden's  "  MacFlecknoe, "  it  being  a  personal  attack  on  a 
rival  dramatist.  ' '  English  Bards  and  Scotch  Reviewers, ' '  by 
Lord  Byron,  is  perhaps  the  greatest  of  all  personal  satires. 
Being  attacked  by  critics  and  held  up  to  ridicule,  he  replied 
in  a  way  that  gave  evidence  of  his  mighty  genius  and  in  turn 
ridiculed  nearly  all  critics  and  poets  of  the  author's  day  and 
time. 

Sttll  must  I  hear  ? — shSll  hoarse  FitzgerSld  bawl 
His  creeking  couplets  in  S  tavern  hall. 
And  I  n6t  sing,  lest,  haply,  Scotch  reviews 
Should  dub  me  scribbler,  and  denounce  my  muse? 
Prepare  f5r  rhyme — I'll  publish,  right  5r  wrong  : 
Fo5ls  are  my  theme,  let  satire  be  my  song. 

Byron — "English  Bards  and  Scotch  Reviewers." 


86  the  strQck  eagle,  stretched  Qpon  the  plain, 
NO  more  throQgh  rolling  clouds  t5  soar  again. 
Viewed  his  Own  feather  on  the  fatal  dart, 
And  winged  the  shaft  that  quivered  in  his  heart. 

Idem. 


OF  THE    VARIOUS  KINDS  OF  POETRY.  301 

As  soon 
Seek  rosSs  in  De?embSr, — ice  in  Jiine  ; 
H5pe  constancy  in  wind,  6r  corn  Tn  chaff. 
Believe  S  womSn,  or  Sn  epTtaph, 
Or  an^^  othfir  thing  that's  false,  before 
Yofi  trQst  in  critics. 

Idem. 

The  "  Dunciad,"  by  Alexander  Pope,  is  an  excellent 
satire  of  this  kind,  one  in  which  he  vilifies  all  writers  by 
whom  he  had  been  vilified.  Under  the  same  head  we  may 
be  allowed  to  class  James  Russell  Lowell's  "A  Fable  for 
the  Critics,"  one  of  the  finest  productions  of  its  kind  in  the 
English  language,  of  a  very  different  nature,  however,  from 
the  satires  of  Dryden,  Byron  and  Pope.  Lowell's  satire 
was  written  for  the  purpose  of  provoking  friendly  rivalry, 
and  not  for  the  purpose  of  giving  offense.  His  portraits  and 
caricatures  were,  however,  droll,  and  the  colors  were  laid  on 
with  no  sparing  hand  ;  yet  the  tone  of  "  A  Fable  for  the 
Critics"  was  so  good-natured  that  no  one  ought  to  have 
taken  offense,  although  some  of  his  thrusts  left  embittered 
memories. 

There  c6mes  Poe  with  his  Raven,  like  BarnSby  Rudge, 

Three-fifths  6f  him  genius  and  two-fifths  sheer  fudge, 

Wh6  talks  like  a  book  6f  iambs  and  pentameters, 

In  a  way  t6  make  people  6f  c6mm5n  sense  damn  meters, 

Wh6  has  written  s6me  things  quite  the  best  6f  their  kind, 

BQt  the  heart  s6meh6w  seems  ail  squeezed  out  by  the  mind, 

Wh5— bQt  hey-day  !     What's  this  ?    MessieQrs  Matthews  and  Poe, 

Yoti  must  n5t  fling  mud-balls  at  L6ngfeil6w  so, 

D6es  it  make  a  man  worse  that  his  character's  such 

As  t5  make  his  friends  love  him  (as  yoii  think)  to6  much? 

Why,  there  is  n5t  a  bard  at  this  moment  alive 

M5re  willing  than  he  that  his  fell6ws  shoQld  thrive ; 

While  you  are  abusing  him  thus,  even  now 

He  wotild  help  either  one  6f  yoti  out  6f  a  slough  ; 


302  THE  ART  OF  FOE TK  K 

YoO  may  say  that  he's  smooth  and  all  that  till  you're  hoarse, 

Biit  rgmembgr  that  elegance  als6  is  force  ; 

After  polishing  granite  as  much  as  yoQ  will, 

The  heart  ke6ps  its  tough  61d  persistency  still  ; 

Deduct  all  yoQ  can  that  still  keeps  yoQ  at  bay, — 

Why,  he'll  live  till  men  weary  5f  Collins  and  Gray. 

I'm  not  6v6r-f6nd  5f  Greek  meters  in  English, 

T6  me  rhyme's  a  gain,  s6  it  be  n6t  to6  jinglish. 

And  yotir  modern  hexameter  verses  are  no  mOre 

Like  Greek  5nes  than  sleek  Mr.  Pope  is  like  Homer ; 

As  the  roar  5f  the  sea  t6  the  coo  6f  a  pige6n  is, 

S6,  c5mpared  t6  yoQr  moderns,  sotlnds  old  Meiesigenes  ; 

I  may  be  to6  partial,  the  reas6n,  perhaps,  O't  is 

That  I've  heard  the  51d  blind  man  recite  his  6vvn  rhaps6dies, 

And  my  ear  with  that  music  impregnate  may  be. 

Like  the  poor  exiled  shell  with  the  soul  5f  the  sea. 

Or  as  one  can't  bear  Strauss  when  his  natQre  is  cloven 

T6  its  deeps  within  deeps  by  the  stroke  6f  Beethoven  ; 

Bat,  set  that  aside,  and  'tis  truth  that  1  speak. 

Had  Theocrittis  written  in  English,  n6t  Greek, 

I  believe  that  hjs  exquisite  sense  woQld  scarce  change  a  line 

In  that  rare,  tender,  virgin-like  pastoral,  Evangeline. 

Lowell — "  A  Fable  for  the  Critics. 


Satires  of  a  political  nature  are  written  in  the  interest  of  some 
great  political  party,  or  its  candidates.  Dryden's  "Absalom 
Achitophel,"  Butler's"  Hudibras,"  and  Lowell's  "What 
Mr.  Robinson  Thinks,"  are  all  first-class  political  satires. 
The  satire  of  Lowell  is  from  his  "  Bigelovv  Papers."  It  w-as 
not  an  ephemeral  production,  as  such  satires  usually  are,  but 
was  well  received  then  and  has  ever  since  been  appreciated 
by  a  reading  public.  Mr.  Lowell  has  written  this  satire  in 
the  Yankee  dialect,  and  has  thus  helped  to  preserve  this 
quaint  type  of  New  England  speech. 


OF  THE  VARIOUS  KINDS  OF  POETRY. 


303 


Guvgner  B.  is  S  sensible  man  ; 

He  stays  t6  his  home  .In'  lo6ks  artSr  his  folks  ; 
He  draws  his  fiirrSr  Sz  strait  Sz  h6  can, — 
And  intfir  nObody's  tatSr-pStch  pokes  ; — 
Btit  J6hn  F. 
Robins6n  he 
SSz  he  wtint  vote  fSr  Guv6ner  B. 

James  Russell  Lowell — "What  Mr.  Robinson  Thinks." 

THE  DIALECTIC 

People  of  the  same  country  do  not  always  speak  the  same 
language.  In  our  own  country  we  have  many  varieties 
or  peculiar  forms  of  the  English.  These  peculiarities  of 
speech  may  be  termed  dialectics.  America  having  a  more 
diversiloquent  population  than  any  other  race  on  the  globe, 
there  are  necessarily  more  dialectics.  These  varieties  are 
found  in  all  parts  of  the  country.  In  New  England  we  have 
the  Yankee  dialect ;  in  the  South  we  have  the  Negro  dialect ; 
on  the  Western  plains  we  have  a  dialect  peculiar  to  the  cow- 
boy, the  mountaineer  and  the  miner  ;  in  the  interior  we  have 
a  dialect  peculiar  to  a  large  class  of  Westerners  which 
has  received  the  euphonious  name  of  the  Hoosier  dialect. 
"  Unzer  Fritz"  in  America  has  produced  what  is  known 
as  the  German  dialect,  while  Patrick  has  given  to  us  a 
mixture  of  his  brogue,  which  is  known  as  the  Irish  dialect  ; 
on  our  western  coast  John  Chinaman  has  given  us  a  mixture 
of  his  tongue,  and  we  have  what  is  known  as  the  Chinese 
dialect.  Is  it  a  wonder  America  is  a  land  where  dialectic 
poetry  flourishes  ?  England  has  dialects  peculiar  to  her 
own  province.  So,  too,  the  Welsh  and  the  Scotch.  The 
Scotch  dialect  Burns  has  immortalized,  and  beauty  teems  in 
every  line  of  his  Lowland  Scotch.  The  peculiar  charm 
which  attaches  to  the  dialect  of  the  Irish-American,  and  the 


304 


THE  ART  OF  POETRY. 


native  talent  and  wit  possessed  by  the  Irish  people,  together 
with  the  "bulls"  and  mistakes  that  necessarily  happen  in 
conversations,  has  made  the  Irish  dialect  quite  a  favorite  in 
this  country,  and  much  excellent  as  well  as  amusing  poetry 
is  the  result.  Our  German  cousin  has  ever  furnished  amuse- 
ment for  men  like  Charles  FoUen  Adams,  a  Massachusetts 
poet,  who  has  made  a  decided  success  with  his  favorite 
dialect — the  German.  Riley's  poems  in  Hoosier  dialect  are 
inimitable,  unsurpassable  and  never-dying.  The  provincial- 
isms of  our  Western  folk  are  as  indelibly  fixed  by  Riley  as 
was  the  Scottish  by  Burns.  James  Russell  Lowell  was  the 
author  of  good  dialectic  poetry, and  many  others' of  our  bright- 
est and  best  authors  have  indulged  in  the  temptation.  Bret 
Harte  is  still  another  one  of  those  peculiar  geniuses  that 
have  touched  the  chord-strings  of  the  human  heart ;  and  his 
dialectic  poems  are  the  best  of  their  kind,  describing  the 
dialect  of  the  far  West  and  the  peculiarities  of  its  multigen- 
erous  inhabitants.  Dialectic  poetry  has  gained  so  great 
a  prominence  in  the  literature  of  today  that  we  have  con- 
cluded to  classify  it  under  a  distinct  head,  although  it  em- 
braces many  species  or  varieties  of  poetry. 

GERMAN  DIALECT. 

Charles  Follen  Adams  has  furnished  some  Anglo-Teutonic 
verse  that  will  ever  be  appreciated  by  the  reading  public. 
Adams  is  a  Boston  business  man  who  has,  during  his  leisure 
moments,  for  recreation  and  pastime,  written  of  the  troubles 
and  trials  of  the  Strauss  family.  He  has  demonstrated 
himself  a  master  of  the  art. 

I  don'd  vSs  preaching  voman's  righdts, 

()x  finyding  like  dot, 
tTnd  \  likes  t6  see  SU  beopl^s 

Shust  gSndentfed  mit  dh6ir  lot ; 


305 


OF  THE  VARIOUS  KINDS  OF  POETRY. 

BQdt  I  vants  t6  g6ndradict  d6t  shap 

D6t  made  dis  leedlg  shoke  : 
"A  vomSn  vas  der  gllnging  vine, 

Ond  man  dgr  shturdy  oak." 

Adams — "Der  Oak  und  der  Vine." 

You  vouldn't  dink  mine  frau, 
If  you  shdst  look  at  her  now, 
Vhgre  d^r  wrinkles  on  her  prow 

Long  haf  been, 
VSs  d6r  fraulein  blump  Qnd  fair, 
Mit  dSr  wafy  flaxfin  hair, 
Wh6  did  vonce  mine  heart  Snshnare — 

Mine  Katrine. 

Adams — "  Mine  Katrine. 

Dh6re  vSs  many  qveSr  dings,  in  dis  land  Off  d6r  free, 

I  nefffer  coQld  qvite  tlndSrstand  ; 
D6r  beoples  dhey  all  seem  s6  deefrfint  t6  me 

As  dhose  in  mine  own  faderland. 
Dhgy  gets  blgndy  droubl6s,  ftnd  ind6  mishaps, 

Mitoudt  dSr  least  bit  Off  a  cause  ; 
tJnd,  vould  yoti  pSlief  id  ?  dh6se  mean  YangeS  chaps, 

Dhey  fights  mit  dheir  moder-in-laws  ! 

Adams — "Mine  Moder-in-Law." 

I'm  a  proken-hearted  Deutscher, 

V6t's  vill'd  mit  crief  und  shame. 
I  dells  yoft  vot  dSr  drouple  ish  : 

I  doosn't  know  my  name. 

Yoti  dinks  dis  fery  vunny,  eh  ? 

VSn  yoij  dSr  schtory  hear, 
Yoti  vill  n5t  vondSr  den  s5  mooch, 

It  vas  s6  schtrange  ttnd  queer. 

Mine  moder  had  dw6  leedle  twins  ; 

Dey  vas  mS  und  mine  broder  : 
\'e  lookt  s5  fery  mooch  alike, 

N6  von  knew  vich  vr5m  tod^r. 


3o6  THE  ART  OF  POETRY. 

V6n  off  dSr  poys  wis  "  Yawc6b," 

tfnd  "  Hans  "  dSr  odfir's  name  : 
BQt  den  it  made  n6  tifftrent ; 

V6  both  g6t  called  d^r  same. 

VfeU  !  von  6fFus  g5t  tead, — 

Yaw,  Mynheer,  dot  ish  so  ! 
Bat  \edder  Hans  6r  Yawc6b, 

Mine  moder  she  d6n'd  know. 

tTnd  so  I  am  in  drouplgs  : 

I  gan't  kit  droo  mine  hed 
Vedder  I'm  Hans  v6t's  Hfing, 

Or  Yawc6b  vot  Is  tead  ! 

Adams — "The  Puzzled  Dutchman. 


IRISH  DIALECT. 

Poems  in  this  dialect  are  very  popular  with  the  reading 
world.  They  are  usually  very  droll,  yet  full  of  pith  and 
point.  One  by  Charles  FoUen  Adams  will  serve  to  illus- 
trate our  meaning. 

"Th6  greatest  burd  tO  foight,"  siys  Pat, 

"  Barring  the  agle,  is  the  duck  ; 
He  has  a  folne  large  bill  to  peck, 

And  plinty  of  rale  Irish  pluck. 

"And,  thin,  d'ye  moind  the  fut  he  has? 

Foil  as  brOad  over  as  a  ciip  ; 
Sh(5w  me  the  fowl  tlpon  tw6  ligs 

That's  able  fer  t6  thrip  him  up  !   " 

"  Pat's  Logic." 

"  Arrah,  boys,  it's  meself  that  will  tell  ye, 

And  that  I  can  do  pretty  soon, 
Of  the  incidents  strange  that  befell  me, 

When  1  traveled  up  t6  the  moon. 


307 


OF  THE  VARIOUS  KINDS  OF  POETRY. 

1  heard  that  quSre  sowls  did  reside  thSre, 

S6  I  In  a  balloon  wint  5ne  day, 
And  as  swift  as  a  race-hSrse  did  ride  thgre, 

Fr6m  earth  disappearing  away. 


"  1  tell  yoil  thS  truth  6n  my  h6n6r, 

H5w  1  traveled  tip  In  a  balloon  ; 
F6r  siire  it's  mgself,  Paddy  C6nn6r, 

That  journeyed  smack  up  t6  the  moon." 

Anonymoics — "  Paddy's  Balloon  Ascension." 


"Oh,  'twas  Norah  M'Frlsky  1  met  6n  th6  road 

T5  the  Fair  5f  Tralee,  as  I  trotted  away  ; 
Cn  her  breast,  a  gdssoori,  a  mOst  beautifQl  load, 
And  the  Image  6f  Paddy,  each  gossip  did  say. 
"Arrah,  Norah,  my  honey,  is  it  you  I  see  there?  " 

'"Tis,  MurtSch,  avic,  I'm  6fft6  the  Fair." 
"  If  that's  what  yoQ're  at,  N5rah,  fiith  its  all  right ; 
we'll  set  6ff  t6gether,  we'll  be  there  at  night. 
And  we'll  drink  t6  the  Lynches, 
The  beautiful  Clinches, 
The  Murphys,  O'Ryans, 
The  Duflfys,  the  Brians, 
The  Careys  and  Learys, 
The  Laughlins,  O'Shaughlins, 
The  Whelans,  the  Phelans, 
6'C6nneils,  O'Donnells, 
The  Fogartys,  Doughertys, 
The  Burkes  and  M'Gurks, 
The  Nolans  and  Folans, 
The  Kiernans  and  Tiernans, 
The  Rogans  and  Brogans, 
The  Lacys  and  Caseys, 
That  keep  Op  the  fun  and  the  frolick  galore." 

"  The  Fun  at  the  Fair." 


3o8  THE  ART  OF  POETKY. 

"  WTd  all  c6nd6sclnshin,  I'd  turn  yoQr  attlnshln 
T5  what  I  wotild  minshtin  6v  Erin  s5  green  ; 

An'  widout  h^siftashin  I'd  show  h5w  thftt  nashin 
Became  6v  crfiashin  th6  gem  Snd  thg  queen." 

"The  Origin  of  Ireland. 


(^h  !  Erin,  my  country,  th6ugh  strangers  mSy  roam 
ThS  hills  clnd  thg  vallgys  I  once  cftUed  my  home. 
Thy  lakes  Snd  thy  mountains  n5  long&r  I  see, 
Y6t  warmly  Ss  ev^r  my  heart  bgats  f5r  thee, 

Oh  !  coush  la  machree  !  my  heart  bfiats  f6r  thee, 

ErJn,  Erin,  my  heart  bgats  f5r  thee. 

Charles  Jeffreys — "Oh  !  Erin,  My  Country." 

Tr5th,  Nora!    I'm  wadin' 

The  grass  an'  paradin' 
The  dews  at  yoGr  dure,  wid  my  swate  serSnadin', 

Alone  and  fSrsakSn, 

Whilst  yofl're  nev^r  waktn' 
T6  tell  mS  yott're  wid  mfe  an'  I  am  mistaken  ! 

James  Whitcotnb  Riley — "Serenade — To  Nora." 

WESTERN  DIALECT. 

Some  very  excellent  poems  have  been  written  in  this 
dialect  by  Francis  Bret  Harte.  Mr.  Harte  is  a  master  of  the 
art  of  versification. 


It  was  Augiist  the  third. 

And  quite  soft  was  the  skies  ; 
Whtch  it  might  bS  inferred 

That  Ah  Sin  was  likewise  ; 
Yet  he  played  It  that  dfiy  ttpSn  William 

And  me  in  a  way  I  despise. 
Bret  Harte — "  Plain  Language  from  Truthful  Jamt-s." 


OF  THE    VARIOUS  KJNDS  OF  POtlTKY.  309 

,    say  there  !     P'r'aps 
S5me  on  yoti  chaps 

Might  know  Jim  Wild? 
W^ll,  no  Cffense  : 
Thar  ain't  n6  sense 
In  gittJn'  riled  ! 

Bret  Harte — "Jim." 

I've  seen  S  grizzlj^  show  his  teeth  ; 

I've  seen  Kentucky  Pete 
DrSw  out  his  shooter  'n'  Sdvlse 

A  "tenderfoot "  tSr  treat ; 
But  nuthin'  evSr  tCik  mS  down, 

'N'  made  my  benders  shake, 
Like  that  sign  about  the  doughntits 

Like  my  mother  used  ter  make. 

Charles  Fallen  Adams — "  Mother's  Doughnuts." 

Western  dialect  is  still  further  exemplified  by  what  is 
termed  Hoosier  dialect,  a  speech  peculiar  to  the  people  of 
some  of  the  western  states,  yet  of  a  little  different  type  from 
those  beyond  the  Rockies.  Many  excellent  poems  are 
written  in  this  dialect.     We  have  made  a  few  selections : 

"  'Scuriotls-like,"  said  the  tree-t6ad, 

"I've  twittered  fer  rain  Sll  day  ; 
And  I  g6t  tip  soon, 
And  hollered  till  noon — 

Blit  the  sun,  hit  blazed  away, 
Till  I  jest  clQmb  down  in  a  crawfish-hole, 
Weary  at  heart,  and  sick  at  soul  ! 

James  Whitcomb  Riley — "The  Tree-Toad." 

A  thing  'at's  'bout  as  tryin'  as  a  healthy  man  kin  meet 

Is  some  po6r  feller's  funeral  a-j6ggin'  'long  the  street : 

The  slow  hearse  and  the  bosses — slow  enough,  t6  say  the  least, 

Fer  t6  even  tax  the  patience  of  the  gentleman  deceased  ! 


3IO 


THE  ART  OF  POETRY. 


The  slow  scrQnch  of  the  gravel — and  the  slow  grind  of  the  wheels, - 
The  sl6w,'Sl5w  go  6f  ev'ry  woe  'at  ev'rybody  feels  ! 
S6  I  ruther  like  the  contrast  when  I  hear  the  whiplash  crack 
A  quickstep  fer  the  hosses, 

When  the 

Hearse 

C6mes 

Back  ! 
James  Whitconib  Riley — "  When  the  Hearse  Comes  Back." 

"  P6ur  fis  out  another,  Daddy,"  says  the  feller,  warmin'  up, 

A-speakin'  'crost  a  saucerful,  as  Uncle  tiick  his  ciip, — 

"  When  I  seed  yer  sign  5ut  yander,"  he  went  on,  t5  Uncle  Jake, - 

"  'C6me  in  and  git  s6me  coffee  like  yer  mother  used  t6  make  ' — 

1  thought  6f  my  6ld  mother,  and  the  Posey  county  farm, 

And  me  a  little  kid  agin,  a-hangin'  in  her  arm. 

As  she  set  the  pot  a-bilin',  broke  the  eggs  and  poured  'em  in  ''  — 

And  the  feller  kind  6'  halted,  with  a  trimble  in  his  chin. 

James  Whiicomb  Riley — "  Like  His  Mother  Used  to  Make." 


He's  fer  the  pore  man  ever'  time  !     And  in  the  last  campaign 

He  stumped  61d  Morgan  County,  through  thesixnshine  and  the  rain, 

And  helt  the  banner  up'ards  from  a-trailin'  in  the  dust, 

And  cut  lo6se  on  m6n6p6lies  and  ciiss'd  and  cuss'd  and  cuss'd  ! 

He'd  tell  s5me  funny  story  ever'  now  and  then,  yoii  know, 

Tel,  blame  it !  it  wflz  better  'n  a  jack-6'-lantern  show ! 

And  I'd  g5  furder,  yit,  t6-day,  t6  hear  61d  Jap  n6rate 

Than  any  high-t6ned  orator  'at  ever  stumped  the  State  ! 

James  Whiicomb  Riley — "Jap  Miller." 


Nothin'  ever  made  we  madder 
Than  fer  Pap  t6  stomp  in,  layln' 
On  a'  extra  fore-stick,  siiyin' 

"Gr6un'h6g's  out  and  seed  his  shadder  !  " 
James  Whiicomb  Riley —  "Old  Winters  on  tlie  Farm. 


OF  THE    VARIOUS  KINDS  OF  FOE  TRY. 


311 


Rfec'lect  thfi  wortSr  drappin' 

In  th6  troff  s6  still  'nd  clair, 
'Nd  w6'd  hunkfir  down  'nd  drink  it, 

Still  a  drappin'  In  6ur  hair  ; 
Rgc'lect  ytt  how  it  tasted, 

S6rt^r  soothJn'  like  'nd  sweet, — 
£f  a  feller  jest  coQld  buy  it 

Yoti  cotild  tap  m6  fer  ft  treat. 

Joe  S.  y^^^rf— "  Stirrin'  Off." 

CHINESE  DIALECT. 

Mr.  Harte  has  given  us  a  specimen  of  this  dialect  in  "The 
Latest  Chinese  Outrage,"  a  poem  in  anapestic  rhythm  of 
unusual  merit  in  descriptive  resources,  metrical  beauty  and 
amusing  incidents.     We  select  the  fourth  stanza. 

ThSn  w^  axed  f6r  a  parley.     Wh6n  out  5f  the  din 
T6  the  front  c6mes  S-rockin'  that  heathgn,  Ah  Sin  ! 
"  YoQ  owe  fl5wty  dollee — mS  washed  yoQ  camp, 
YoO  catchee  my  washed — me  catchee  n6  stamp  ; 
One  dollar  hap  dozen,  me  n5  catchee  yet, 
N6w  that  flSwty  dollee — n6  hab? — h5w  can  get? 
Me  catchee  yoti  piggee — me  sellee  f6r  cash, 
It  catchee  me  licee — yoO  catchee  n6  '  hash  '  ; 
Me  belly  go6d  Sheliff— me  lebbee  when  can. 
Me  allee  same  halp  pin  as  Melican  man  ! 

Btlt  Melican  man, 

He  washee  him  pan 

On  bottSm  side  hillee 

And  catchee — h6w  can  ? " 


SOUTHERN  DIALECT. 

The  dialect  peculiar  to  the  South  is  known  as  the  Negro 
dialect.     Many  excellent  poems  are  written   in  this  dialect, 


312 


THE  ART  OF  POETRY. 


many  of  them  quaint  and  laughable.  We  have  selected  an 
admirable  poem  and  give  it  entire,  entitled  "  De 'Speri- 
ence  of  de  Reb'rend  Quacko  Strong  "  : 

Swing  dat  gate  wide,  'Postlg  Pet6r, 

Ring  d6  big  bgll,  beat  dS  gong, 
Saints  Snd  martyrs  den  will  meet  dSr 

Bruddgr,  Reb'rfind  Quack5  Strong  ! 

Sound  dat  bugle,  Anggl  Gabr'el  ! 

Tell  d6  elders  loud  Sn'  long, 
Cl'ar  6ut  dem  high  seats  5b  heabSn, 

Here  c6mes  Reb'rend  Quack5  Strong  ! 

Turn  de  guard  6ut,  Gen'ral  Michael, 

Arms  present,  de  line  along. 
Let  de  band  play  "Conk'rin  Her5  " 

For  de  Reb'rend  Quack6  Strong. 

Den  bid  Moses  bring  de  crown,  Sn' 

Palms,  an'  weddin'  gown  along  ! 
Wid  pr6cessi5n  to  de  landin'. 

Here's  de  Reb'rend  Quacko  Strong. 

Joseph,  march  d5wn  wid  yoQr  bred'ren, 
Tribes,  an'  banners  musterin'  strong  ; 

Speech  6f  welc6me  from  61e  Abram, 
Answer,  Reb'rend  QuackO  Strong. 

Tune  yoiir  harp-strings  tight.  King  David, 
Sing  your  good  Ole  Hundred  song. 

Let  de  ser6phs  diince  wid  cymbals 
'Round  de  Reb'rend  Quack6  Strong. 

Angels  hear  me  yell  HSsanner, 

Hear  my  dulceni  sperito5l  song  ; 
Halleliiyer  !  I'm  a-comin', 

I'm  de  Reb'rend  Quack6  Stronjj. 


OF  THE    VARIOUS  KINDS  OF  POETRY. 

Make  dSt  white  r5be  raddSr  spaciotis, 
And  the  waist  belt  strordn'ry  long, 

'Cause  'twill  take  s6me  room  in  glor^^ 
For  de  Reb'rSnd  Quack6  Strong. 

What !  No  6ne  at  d6  landifn'  ! 

'Pears  like  sufTn'  'nuddSr's  wrong  ; 
Guess  I'll  gib  dat  sleepj^  Pet^r 

Fits — fr6m  Reb'rfind  Quack6  Strong. 

What  a  narrSr  littlS  gateway  ! 

My  !  dat  gate  am  hard  t6  move, 
"  Who  am  dat? "  says  'P6stl6  Peter 

From  de  parapet  Sbdve. 

Uncle  Peter,  don't  yoQ  know  me — 

Me  a  shinin'  light  s6  long  ? 
Why  de  berry  niggers  call  me 

Good  5le  Reb'rend  Quack6  Strong. 

Dun'n6  me  !   why  !  I've  c6nvarted 
Hundreds  6'  darkies  in  a  song, 

Dun'nfi  me  !  n6r  yet  m^  massa  ! 
I'm  de  Reb'rend  Quack6  Strong  ! 

Ole  Nick's  comin'  1     I  can  feel  it 

Gettin'  warmer  all  about. 
Oh,  my  good,  kind  Kernel  Peter, 

Let  me  in,  I'm  all  to6  stout 

To  g6  'long  wid  MajOr  Satan 

Int6  dat  warm  climate  'mong 
Fire  an'  brimst5ne.     Hear  me  knockin', 

Ole  chtirch  member,  Quack6  Strong. 

Dat  I6ud  noise  am  comin'  nearer, 
Dreffle  smell  like  powder  smoke  ; 

'Nudder  screech  !  Go6d  heaben  help  me — 
Lord,  f6rgib  dis  poor  61e  moke. 


313 


314 


THE  AR  T  OF  POE  TR  Y. 

Aliens  was  s6  berry  holj', 
Singin'  and  prayln'  extra  long  ; 

Now  d6  debble's  gwine  t5  catch  m6, 
Poor  51e  nigggr,  Quack6  Strong. 

Hi !  dat  gate  swings  back  a  Httl6, 

Mighty  squeezin'  to  gSt  froo  ! 
Ole  Ap6lly6n  howlin'  louder, 

Everj^thing  around  am  blue. 

Bang  dg  gate  g5es  !  an'  Beelzgb&b, 
Bunch  5b  wool  Qpon  his  prong, 

Goes  along  widout  d6  soul  5b 
Missabtil  sinner,  name  5b  Strong- 

Anonymous. 


Few  prettier  selections  can  be  made  than  the  following  : 

A   PLANTATION   LULLABY. 

Mammy's  littlg  pickaninny  gwine  t5  go  t5  sleep — 

Hush  a  by-by,  hush  a  by. 
Doan'  y5'  hear  dg  co6n-d5g  bayin'  loud  an'  deep? 

Hush  a  by-by,  hush  a  by. 
Mock-birds'  notes  a-callin',  doan'  y5'  hear  'fini  sing? 
Piippy's  gone  a  huntin',  an'  a  possQm  home'll  bring. 
There's  wotermel5ns  coolin'  in  thS  shaddfirs  6'  de  spring. 

Hush  a  pickaninny,  an'  a  by-by. 

There's  sweet  pertaters  bilin'  an'  a  ham  bone  t5  boot, 

Hush  a  by-by,  hush  a  by. 
Pappy's  got  a  graveyard  rabbit's  left  hind  foot. 

Hush  a  by-by,  hush  a  by. 
S5  hush  a  pickaninny  while  de  scut'  winds  moan, 
Go  t5  sleep  s5  mammy  can  g5  lieb  y5'  fill  alone, 
Fer  she's  goin'  t5  make  y5'r  pappy  a  big  c5'n  pone. 

Hush  a  pickaninny,  an  a  by-by. 

Roy  Farrell  Greene. 


OF  THE   VARIOUS  KINDS  OF  POETRY. 


YANKEE  DIALECT. 


315 


The  Yankee  dialect  is  peculiar  to  our  New  England  States. 
It  has  a  quaintness  about  it  that  makes  it  very  pleasant  read- 
ing. James  Russell  Lowell  has  given  to  the  world  the  finest 
specimens  of  this  dialect.  We  select  a  poem  entitled  "  The 
Courtin',"  which  in  the  excellence  of  its  description  is  not 
exceeded  : 

G6d  makes  sSch  nights,  all  white  an'  still 

FQr'z  you  cSn  look  6r  listen, 
Moonshine  an'  snow  6n  field  an'  hill, 

All  silfince  an'  all  glisten. 

Zekle  cr6p'  up  quite  unbeknown, 

An'  peeked  in  thru'  the  winder, 
An'  there  s6t  Hiildy  all  alone, 

'Ith  no  6ne  nigh  t6  hendSr. 

A  fireplace  filled  the  room's  5ne  side 

With  half  a  cord  6'  wood  in, — 
There  warn't  n6  stoves  (tell  comfQrt  died) 

T6  bake  ye  to  a  puddin'. 

The  wa'ntit  logs  sh5t  sparkles  out 

Towards  the  pootiest,  bless  her  ! 
An'  leetle  flames  danced  all  about 

The  chiny  on  the  dressei;. 

Agin  the  chimbley  crook-necks  hung, 

An'  in  amongst  'em  rusted 
The  ole  queen's  arm  thet  Gran'ther  Young 

Fetched  back  fr5m  C6nc5rd  busted. 

The  very  room,  c6z  she  was  in. 

Seemed  warm  fr5m  floor  t5  ceilin". 
An'  she  lo6ked  full  as  rosy  agin 

£z  the  apples  she  was  peelin'. 


3i6  THE  ART  OF  POETRY. 

'Twas  kin'  G'  kingdOm-come  t6  look 

On  sech  i  blessed  cre'tQr', 
A  dogrSse  blushin'  to  a  brook 

Ain't  mod&ter  n6r  sweeter. 

H6  wSs  a  six  foot  6'  man,  A  1, 
Cl6an  grit  ftn'  human  nattir'; 

N6ne  couldn't  quicker  pitch  a  ton 
N6r  dror  a  furr^r  straightSr. 

He'd  sparked  it  with  ftlU  twenty-  gals, 

He'd  squired  'Sm,  danced  'em,  druv  'em, 

F&st  this  6ne,  an'  then  thet,  by  spells, — 
All  is,  he  couldn't  love  'em. 

BQt  'long  6'  her  his  veins  'oQld  run 
All  crinkly  like  cGrled  maple, 

The  side  she  breshed  felt  full  6'  siin 
Ez  a  sotith  slope  in  Ap'il. 

She  thought  n6  v'ice  hed  sech  jl  swing 

£z  his'n  in  the  choir  ; 
My !  when  he  made  Ole  Hundred  ring 

She  kno'djed  the  Lord  was  nigher. 

An'  she'd  blQsh  scarlit,  right  in  prayer, 
When  her  new  meetin'-bunnet 

Felt  somehSw  thrii'  its  crown  a  pair 
0'  bliie  eyes  st)*  Gpon  it. 

Thet  night  ;  I  tell  ye,  she  loOked  some  ! 

She  seemed  t5've  giit  a  new  sOul, 
F6r  she  felt  sartin-sure  he'd  come, 

DOwn  to  her  very  sh6e-s61e. 

She  heered  a  foot,  an'  knowed  It,  tu, 

A-raspin'  on  the  scraper, — 
All  ways  to  once  her  feelin's  flew 

Like  sparks  in-  burnt-Qp  paper. 


OF  THE    VARIOUS  KINDS  OF  POETRY. 

H6  kin'  5'  I'itfired  on  the  mat, 

S6me  doubtflg  6'  th6  sekl^  ; 
HTs  heart  k^p'  goin'  pity-pat, 

Btit  her'n  wSnt  pity  ZeklS. 

An'  yit  she  gin  her  cheer  a  jerk 
£z  though  she  wished  him  f  iirdSr, 

An'  on  her  apples  kep'  t6  work, 
Parin'  Sway  like  murder. 

"  YoQ  want  t6  see  my  Pa,  1  s'pose  ?  " 
"WSl — no — I  come  dSsignin'  " — 

"  T5  see  my  Ma  ?    She's  sprinklin'  clo'es 
Agin  tS-morrer'si'nin'." 

To  say  why  gals  act  so  5r  so, 

Or  don't,  'ottld  be  presumin'; 
Mebby  t5  meanjv^^  an'  sSy  vo 

C5mes  nateral  tO  women. 

He  stood  fi  spell  5n  (3ne  fo5t  fust, 

Then  stood  A  spell  on  t'other, 
An'  on  which  one  he  felt  the  wiist 

He  couldn't  ha'  told  ye,  nuther. 

says  he,  "  I'd  better  call  agin  "; 

says  she,  "  Think  likely  Mister  "  : 
Thet  last  w5rd  pricked  him  like  a  pin. 

An' — wal,  he  up  an'  kist  her. 

When  Ma  bimeby  Qpon  'em  slips, 

Huldy  s5t  pale  ez  ashes. 
All  kin'  5'  smily  roun'  the  lips 

An'  teary  roun'  the  lashes. 

F5r  she  was  jes'  the  quiet  kind 

\Vh5se  natflrs  never  vary, 
Like  streams  that  keep  a  siimmer  mind 

.Snrtvv-hid  in  Jeno5ary. 


317 


3i8 


THE  ART  OF  POETRY. 

The  blood  cl6st  roun'  h6r  heart  ftlt  glued 

To5  tight  fbr  all  Sxpresstn', 
Tell  mother  see  h5w  metters  stood, 

An'  gin  '6m  both  her  blessln'. 

Then  her  red  come  bSck  like  the  tide 

D6wn  to  the  Bay  6'  Fundy, 
An'  all  I  know  is,  they  wis  cried 

In  meetin'  come  nex'  Sunday. 

James  Russell  Lowell. 

THE  SCOTCH  DIALECT. 

The  Scotch  is  a  very  popular  dialect.  From  the  time  it 
was  first  brought  into  general  notice  and  rendered  ever- 
enduring  by  the  sweetest  of  Scotland's  singers,  Robert 
Burns,  it  has  always  been  read  with  delight  by  the  public. 
We  give  the  following  selections. 

ThoQ  hast  sworn  by  thy  God,  my  Jeanie, 

By  that  pretty  white  hand  6'  thine, 
And  by  a'  the  lowing  stars  in  heaven. 

That  thou  wad  aye  be  mine  ! 
And  I  hae  sworn  by  my  God,  my  Jean!e, 

And  by  that  kind  heart  6'  thine, 
By  a'  the  stars  s5wn  thick  5wre  heaven, 

That  thou  shalt  aye  be  mine  ! 
Allan  Cunningham — "  Thou  Hast  Sworn  by  Thy  God,  My 
Jeanie." 

He  was  a  gash  and  faithfbl  tyke, 
As  ever  lap  a  sheugh  6r  dike. 
His  honest,  sonsie,  baws'nt  face, 
Aye  gat  him  friends  in  ilka  place. 
His  breast  was  white,  his  touzie  back 
VVeel  clad  wi'  coat  5'  glossy  black ; 
His  gaucy  tail,  wi'  upward  curl, 
HOng  o'er  his  hurdies  wi'  a  swirl. 

Burns — "  Twa  Dogs." 


OF  THE    VARIOUS  KINDS  OF  POETRY. 


319 


My  heid  Is  like  t6  rend,  WilHe, 

My  heart  is  like  t6  break  ; 
I'm  wearin'  aff  my  feet,  Willte, 

I'm  dyin'  for  yoQr  sake  ! 
0,  lay  yoQr  cheek  t6  mine,  Willie, 

YoQr  hand  5n  my  briSst-bane, — 
0,  say  yg'll  think  5n  me,  Willie, 

Wh^n  I  am  deid  Snd  gane  ! 
William  Motherwell—''  My  Heid  is  Like  to  Rend,  Willie." 

Shoftld  auld  acquaintance  be  f5rg6t, 

And  nev6r  brought  t6  min'  ? 
Shotild  auld  acquaintance  be  fSrgot, 

And  days  5' lang  syne? 


F5r  iiuld  lang  syne,  my  dear, 

F5r  auld  lang  syne, 
W^'U  tak  a  cup  6'  kindness  yet, 

F6r  auld  lang  syne. 

Robert  Burns — "Auld  Lang  Syne." 

CHILD  DIALECT. 

Listening  to  the  dialect  of  children  has  ever  furnished  us 
some  of  our  happiest  hours,  as  well  as  most  pleasing  affec- 
tions. Simple  and  artless,  it  is  nevertheless  engaging  to 
both  old  and  young.  Mr.  Riley's  "Rhymes  of  Child- 
hood" and  "A  Child  World"  are  rare,  grand  gifts  to 
mankind.  A  selection  from  "  Maymie's  Story  of  Red 
Riding  Hood  "  is  here  given  : 

An'  nen  Riding  Hood 
She  say  "  Oh-me-5h-my  !     Dran'ma  !     what  big 
White  long  sharp  teeth  yoQ  dot!  " 

NSn  old  VV'6lf  says  : 
"  Y6s  —  an'  they're  thataway  " — Sn'  drovvled  — 
"They're  thataway,"  he  says,  "  t5  eat  yoQ  wiv  !  " 


320  THE  ART  OF  POETRY. 

An'  nen  he  ist  jump  ftt  her, — 

But  she  scream' — 
An'  scream',  sh6  did  —  s6's  'at  the  Man 
'At  wuz  a-choppin'  wood,  yoQ  know, —  h6  hear, 
An'  come  S-riinnin'  in  there  wiv  his  ax  ; 
An',  'fore  the  old  W6lf  know,  what  he 's  about. 
He  split  his  old  brains  out  an'  killed  him  s'  quick 
It  make'  his  head  swim  !  —  An'  Red  Riding  Hood 
She  wQzn't  hiirt  at  all ! 

An'  the  big  Man 
He  looked  her  all  safe  home,  he  did,  an'  tell 
Her  Ma  she's  all  right  an'  ain't  hiirt  at  all 
An'  old  W6lf  s  dead  an'  killed  —  and  ever'thing  !  — 
S6  her  Ma  wtiz  s6  tickled  an'  s5  proud, 
She  gived  him  all  the  good  things  t'  eat  they  wuz 
'At's  in  the  basket,  an'  she  tell  him  'at 
She  's  much  Sblige',  an'  say  t6  "call  adin." 
An'  story's  honest  truth  —  an'  all  s6,  too  ! 

James  Whitcomb  Riley. 

My  Pa  he  ist  fished  an'  fished  ! 
An'  my  Ma  she  said  she  wished 
Me  an'  her  was  home  ;  an'  Pa 
said  he  wished  s6  worse  'n  Ma. 
James  Whitcomb  Riley — "The  Fishing  Party. 


NONSENSE. 

"  A  little  nonsense  now  and  then 
Is  relished  by  the  wisest  men." 

The  writing  of  a  nonsensical  verse  is  a  pleasure  indulged 
in  by  some  of  our  most  excellent  writers.  The  rhymes  of 
our  childhood — Mother  Goose's  Melodies  —  are  familiar  to 
almost  every  one,  and  it  made  very  little  difference  what  the 
wording  of  them  was  so  that  the  measure  and  rhythm  were 
perfect ;  in  fact.  Mother  Goose  has  some  of  the  most  com- 


OF  THE    VARIOUS  KINDS  OF  POETRY. 


321 


plex  lines  to  be  found  in  poetry.*  Where,  however,  the 
measure  and  rhythm  are  perfect,  words  make  but  very  Httle 
difference  in  writing  what  are  termed  nursery  rhymes,  and 
nonsensical  songs.  "  The  Owl  and  the  Pussy  Cat,"  one  of 
Lear's  "  Nonsense  Songs,"  is  one  of  the  best  of  its  kind 
extant.  Lear  has  a  book  in  which  many  good  songs  of  this 
species  may  be  found.  They  will  repay  the  reading  where 
one  has  any  desire  for  the  quaint.  Billowy  are  the  metrical 
waves  of  this  nonsensical  song  ;  leaping  and  bounding, 
billow  upon  billow,  leaping  higher  on  the  middle  or  line 
rhymes,  the  waves  surge  and  lash  each  other  in  beautiful 
sounds  to  the  end  of  the  stanza  ;  all  nonsense,  it  is  true, 
and  yet  pleasing  in  the  highest  degree  to  the  ear. 

The  owl  and  the  pussy-cat  went  5ut  15  sea 

In  a  beautiful  pea-green  boat ; 
They  took  s6me  honey,  and  lots  6f  money 

Wrapped  up  !n  a  five-p5und  note. 
The  owl  looked  up  t5  the  moon  above, 

And  sang  t6  his  light  gQitar, 
"0  pussj?,  0  pussy,  0  pussy,  my  love, 

What  a  beautiftll  pussy  yotl  are,  yoQ  are  ! — 
What  a  beautif&l  pussy  yoQ  are  !  " 

PCissy  said  t6  the  owl,   "  YoQ  elegant  fowl, 

H6w  charmingly  sweet  yoQ  sing  ! 
C5me,  let  tis  be  married — to6  long  we  have  tarried; 

BQt  what  shall  we  do  f5r  a  ring? " 
S5  they  sailed  away  f5r  a  year  and  a  day, 

T5  the  land  where  the  bong-tree  grows, 
And  there  in  the  wood  a  piggy-wig  stood, 

With  a  ring  in  the  end  5f  his  nose,  his  nose — 
A  ring  in  the  end  6f  his  nose. 

*  Mary  Goose,  wife  of  Isaac  Goose,  the  author  of  "  Mother  Goose's  Melodies," 
lived  and  died  in  Boston,  Massachusetts,  and  was  buried  in  Old  Christ's  Church 
Cemetery. 


322  THE  ART  OF  POETRY. 

"  Dear  pig,  are  yoti  willing  tft  sell  f5r  5ne  shilling 

YoQr  ring  ?  "     SSid  th6  piggy,   "Iwill"; 
S6  they  took  it  Sway,  and  w^re  married  nSxt  day, 

By  the  turkey  wh6  lives  6n  the  hill. 
They  dined  tip6n  mince,  Snd  slices  6f  quince, 

Which  they  ate  with  a  runcibie  spoon. 
And  hand  in  hand  6n  the  golden  sand 

They  danced  by  the  light  6f  the  moon,  the  moon — 
They  danced  by  the  light  5f  the  moon. 

Edward  Lear — "The  Owl  and  the  Pussy  Cat. 


James  Whitcomb  Riley  has  some  excellent  verses  of  this 
species.  Mr.  Riley  delights  in  amusing  mankind,  and  few 
authors  have  been  more  prolific  in  writing  poems  that  cause 
men  to  forget  troubles  and  laugh  heartily  at  the  eccentricities 
of  life.     We  make  two  selections  : 


A  little  D6g-W6ggy 
Once  walked  roQnd  the  World  : 
S5  he  shiit  up  his  house  ;  and,  fbrgetting 
His  two  piippy-children 
Lacked  in  there,  he  curled 
tip  his  tail  in  pink  bombazine  netting. 
And  set  out 
T6  walk  round 
The  World. 
James  Whitcomb  Riley — "The  Little  Dog-Woggy. " 


Dainty  Biiby  Austin  ! 

YoQr  Daddy's  gone  t6  B6st6n 

T6  see  the  King 

Of  05-Rinktum  Jing 
And  the  whale  he  rode  acrost  on  ! 
James  Whitcomb  Riley — "The  King  of  Oo-Riiiktiim-Jiiig." 


OF  THE    VARIOUS  KINDS  OF  POETRY. 


THE  VERSICLE. 


323 


A  little  verse,  a  metrical  toy.  Poets  of  all  ages — past  as 
well  as  present,  have  taken  delight  in  writing  these  momen- 
tary thoughts  suggested  by  the  occasion  of  passing  incidents. 
Many  of  them,  however,  are  very  bright  and  deserve  a  place 
in  the  household  of  poetry.  Our  magazines  and  news- 
papers furnish  a  never-ending  amount  of  them.  We  make 
the  following  selections  : 

WHAT   SHE   didn't  KNOW. 

"  That  darling  girl  IcnSw  everything, 

Kn6w  Hebrew,  Latin,  Greek — 
Yes,  several  6th6r  languages 

With  fluency  cotild  speak. 

"Of  music,  art,  gmbroidfiry, 

She  had  a  thoroQgh  knowledge. 
And  many  othSr  things  besides 

That  girls  are  taught  at  college. 

"  The  only  thing  sh6  didn't  know 

(N5r  could  thS  maid  c5nceal 
Her  ignftrance  6f  that)  was  how 

T6  cook  a  decent  meal. 

"  Bat  did  that  make  the  maiden  less 

Desirable  to  me  ? 
N6,  she  was  rich,  and  could  afford 

T6  hire  a  cook,  yofi  see." 

YOUTH    AT   CHRISTMAS. 

"  6h,  would  1  were  young,"  the  old  man  sighs 

When  the  Christmas  songs  are  sung. 
The  5ld  woman  never  a  word  replies  — 

She  still  claims  she  is  yoiing. " 


324  THE  ART  OF  POETRY. 

tommik's  girl. 

'■  She  is  cheerful,  warm-heart6d  and  triie, 
And  is  kind  t6  her  father  find  mother ; 

She  studies  h6w  much  she  cSn  do 
F6r  her  sweet  little  sister  find  brother. 

"  If  yoti  want  a  c6mpani6n  f5r  life, 

T6  comfSrt,  enliven,  and  bless, 
She  is  just  the  right  sort  5f  a  wife, 

My  girl  with  a  calic5  dress." 

A   SURPRISE. 

"  I  met  her  strolling  on  the  street, 
We  walked  together  up  the  hill, 

She  was  a  maiden  very  neat, 
\Vh6  made  my  heart  stand  still, 

When  in  a  manner  hard  t6  beat 
She  shyly  said,   '  I  know  yoQ're  sweet' 

"  SQch  words  I  knew  nOt  how  t5  meet, 
Slie  was  not  wont  t5  talk  that  way, 

Bflt  happiness  I  found  was  fleet 
F6r  very  soon  I  lieard  her  say, 

'  I  think  it  faces  toward  the  street.' 
And  then  t  knew  she  meant  my  siiite." 

IN    COLLEGE   CAP   A.ND   GOWN. 

"  My  sweetheart  is  a  student  in  a  famotis  female  college. 

And  though  I  do  n5t  think  she'll  win  particQlar  renown 
In  any  special  study,  or  be  noted  for  her  knowledge, 

I'm  certain  that  she's  charming  in  her  college  cap  and  gown. 
That  the  costftme's  fascinating  there's  n5  reas5n  for  concealing, 

I  think  my  love  m6st  beautiful  when  in  it  she  appears, 
BQt  when  I  steal  a  kiss  fr5m  her,  h5w  fiinny  is  the  feeling 

When  the  edges ^f  the  mortar  board  are  tickling  my  ears." 


OF  THE   VARIOUS  KINDS  OF  POETRY. 


325 


Jennie  kissed  m6  when  w6  met, 

Jumping  from  thS  chair  sh6  sat  In  ; 
Time,  yoti  thief,  wh5  love  t6  get 

Secrgts  into  yoQr  list,  pGt  that  in. 
Say  I'm  weary,  say  I'm  sad. 

Say  that  health  and  wealth  hSve  missed  m&  ; 
Say  I'm  growing  old,  bQt  add— 

Jennie  kissed  m6. 

Leigh  Hunt. 

The  law  I5cks  up  the  man  5r  womSn 

Who  steals  a  goose  fr5m  off  th6  commOn  ; 

But  lets  the  greater  villian  loose, 
Wh6  steals  the  c6mm5n  from  the  goose. 

E.  Elliott. 

**  ,.  . 

When  first  in  Ceha's  ear  I  poured 

A  yet  unpracticed  prayer. 
My  trembling  tongue  sincere  ignored 

The  aids  6f  "  sweet  "  and  "fair." 
I  only  said,  as  in  me  lay, 

I'd  strive  her  "  worth  "  t5  reach  ; 
She  frowned  and  turned  her  eyes  away — 

S5  much  f5r  triith  in  speech. 

Then  Delia  came.     1  changed  my  plan  ; 

1  praised  her  to  her  face  ; 
I  praised  her  featQres, — praised  her  fan, 

Her  lap-d5g  and  her  lace  ; 
1  swore  that  not  till  Time  were  dead 

My  passi5n  should  decay  ; 
She,  smiling,  gave  her  hand,  and  said 

'Twill  last,  then,  for  a  Day. 

Austin  Dobson — "  A  Love  Song." 

Yoti  sleep  tipon  yotir  mother's  breast. 

Yotir  race  begun, 
A  welc5me,  long  a  wished-f5r  Guest, 

Wh5se  age  is  One. 


326  77/^  ART  OF  POETRY. 

A  baby-boy,  yoti  wonder  why 

Yoti  cannSt  run  ; 
Yott  try  to  talk — h5w  hard  yoii  try  ! 

YoQ're  only  One. 

-ftre  long  yoCi  won't  bS  such  ;1  dunce  ; 

You'll  eat  yofir  bun, 
And  fly  yoflr  kite,  like  folk,  wh(")  once 

W^re  only  One. 

You'll  rhyme  And  woo,  And  fight  And  joke, 

Perhaps  you'll  pun  ! 
Such  feats  ftre  nevSr  done  by  folk 

Before  they're  One. 

S5me  day,  too,  you  may  hav^yoftr  joy, 

And  envy  none  ; 
Yes,  you,  yoQrself,  may  own  ft  Boy, 

Wh6  isn't  One. 

Frederick  Locker — "  A  Rhyme  of  One. 

A   MEAN    LOVER. 

"  1  love  t5  make  my  Mabel  cry, 

By  jealoQs  taunts  and  jeers. 
F5r  then  I  get  a  chance  t6  try 

And  kiss  away  hSr  tears." 

LEGAL   WHISKERS. 

"As  o'er  their  wine  and  walnOts  sat, 
Talking  6f  this  and  then  6f  that, 
Tw6  wights  well  learned  in  the  law — 
That  is,  well  skilled  to  find  a  flaw — 
said  one  c6mpani5n  to  the  other, 
'  How  Is  it,  most  respected  brother. 
That  you  have  shaven  away 
Th5se  whiskers  which  fOr  many  a  day 
1  lave  ornamented  miich  yottr  cheek? 
Sttre,  'twas  an  idle,  silly  freak.' 


OF  THE  VARIOUS  KINDS  OF  POETRY.  327 

T6  whom  thS  othSr  answer  gave, 
Wrth  look  half  merry  and  half  grave, 
'  Th5ugh  others  be  by  whiskers  graced, 
A  lawyer  can't  bS  too  barefaced.'  " 


CONCLUSION. 

And  now  we  bring  to  a  close  a  subject  full  of  never-ending 
interest  to  the  student  of  general  literature  —  poetry,  the  art 
divine.  Endeavoring  to  make  its  study  practical,  we  have 
followed  it  step  by  step,  exemplifying  its  measures  by  quo- 
tations from  our  great  authors.  It  is  a  theme  inexhaustible, 
and  yet  one  may  become  familiar  with  its  elements  and 
science. 

Were  you  to  ask  how  to  excel,  the  answer  would  be  :  if 
nature  has  endowed  you  with  the  natural  gift,  cultivate  it  by 
a  careful  study  of  authors  whose  works  are  preeminent. 
Longfellow,  Lowell,  Holmes,  Whittier,  and  Bryant  are  a 
galaxy  of  names  that  will  ever  adorn  American  literature, 
and  whose  works  should  be  read  and  thoroughly  analyzed 
by  every  student  of  literature  and  art.  England  and  Scot- 
land have  had  a  long  line  of  poets  whose  works  are  gems 
of  rare  art. 

Every  one  would  commend  the  works  of  Tennyson  and 
Burns.  They  were  poets  who  possessed  the  faculty  divine. 
The  world  acknowledges  them  as  two  of  the  grandest  of 
any  age.  Yet  there  are  those  of  our  own  time  who  are  liv- 
ing, toiling,  struggling  writers  for  fame,  present  as  well  as 
future,  that  are  models  of  excellence  and  elegance.  Dobson, 
Lang,  Gosse,  and  Swinburne  may  be  cited.  Read,  and  you 
may  find  yourself  in  touch  with  some  one  or  all  of  them. 
Of  our  present-day  American  authors,  Stedman,  Aldrich, 
Riley,    Harte,    Hav,    Carleton,    and    Stoddard,   have    each 


328  THE  ART  OF  POETRY. 

earned  a  well-deserved  fame.  But  be  not  mere  imitators, 
read  and  study  the  works  of  great  authors,  and  then  mold 
and  fashion  your  talent  after  a  style  of  your  own.  There  is 
a  peculiar  something  in  the  writings  of  our  poets  that  has  a 
distinctiveness  of  its  own  plainly  perceptible.  Spontaneity 
in  writing  may  be,  and  often  is,  genius  assisting  her  own  true 
children  on  and  on,  to  nobler  and  greater  deeds,  giving 
them  clearer  vision  —  a  direct  insight.  But  let  it  not  be 
supposed  that  genius  alone  makes  men  great.  The  lives  of 
the  best  authors  reveal  the  fact  that  men  of  genius  are  men 
who  are  untiring  workers.  Great  poems  are  not  mere  acci- 
dents of  genius.  The  great  beehive  of  poetry  is  not  inhab- 
ited by  drones.  The  honey  gathered  from  every  flower  is 
the  result  of  their  toil  and  industry.  Care,  precision,  and 
painstaking  methods  are  the  royal  roads  to  success.  How 
beautifully  William  Cullen  Bryant  has  expressed  in  these 
lines  the  poet's  art  : 

The  secret  wouldst  th6u  know 
T6  touch  the  heart  6r  fire  the  blood  at  will  ? 

Let  thine  Own  eyes  S'erflow  ; 
Let  thy  lips  quiver  with  the  passionate  thrill  ; 

Seize  the  great  thought,  ere  yet  Its  power  be  past, 

And  bind,  in  words,  the  fleet  em6ti6n  fast. 

"The  Poet." 


INDEX  OF  AUTHORS. 


Adams,  Charles  Follen, 

Adams,  John  Quincy,  .  .  .  . 

Adams,  Sarah  Flower, 

Aldrich,  Thomas  Bailey,  140,  152,  153,  159,  179, 

Alkaios,  ..... 

Allston,  Washington,  .  .  .  , 

Armstrong,  John,  .  .    '         . 

Arnold,  Edwin,       .... 

Arnold,  Matthew,  .... 

Aytoun,  William  Edmonstoune, 

Baer,  Libbie  C, 

Baillie,  Joanna,        .... 

Barham,  Richard  Harris,  .  . 

Barlow,  Joel,  .... 

Baxley,  Isaac  R., 

Bayly,  Thomas  Haynes, 

Beaumont,  Francis, 

Beattie,  James,         .... 

Beddoes,  Thomas  Lovell, 

Bennett,  S.  Filmore, 

Bennett,  William  Cox, 

Bethune,  George  Washington, 

Bible,    ...... 

Bishop,  Sir  Henry,  .  .  . 

Blackstone,  Sir  William, 

Bowles,  William  Lisle, 

Bradbury,  W.  H.,  . 

Branch,  Mary  Bolles, 

Brennan, Joseph,  .... 

Brooks,  Maria  Gowen, 


PAGE 

■  304, 

305, 

306, 

309 
153 
252 

180,  202, 

221, 

222, 

256 
171 
226 
181 

12 

90, 

"5 

216 

65 

97 

188 

225 

64 

159 

225 

99 

178 

182 

84 

253 
72 

25 

4 

240 

155 
114 

254 
71 

• 

25 

164 
82 

330 


INDEX  OF  AUTHORS. 


Brown,  Frances, 
Browning,  Elizabeth  Barrett, 
Browning,  Robert, 
Bruce,  Michael, 


PAGE 

249 

84,  195 

55 

135 


Bryant,  William  Cullen,  16,  81,  100,  loi,  134,  155,  157,   160,  249,  263. 

267,  268,  283,  285,  328. 
Brydges,  Samuel  Egerton,  .  .  .111 

Buckingham,  Duke  of,  (George  Villiers),         ...  82 

Bums,  Robert,  4,  11,  16,  40,  45,  46,  48,  49,  50,  79,  96, 100,  169,  197,  207, 

222,  256,  263,  268,  278,  279,  285,  318,  319. 
Butler,  Samuel,        ......  148,  302 

Byron,  Lord,  13,  29,  48,  76,  98,  loi,  183,  203,  204,  208,  209,  223,  255. 

256,  300. 
Carey,  Henry,  .......  90 

Cary,  Alice,  .......  55 

Cary,  Phoebe,    .  .  .  .  .  91 

Campbell,  Thomas,  6,  10,  11,  15,  16,  19,  55,  156,  187,  188,  217,  221,  224, 

226,  260,  286. 


Carleton,  Will, 

21,  22, 

163,  168 

Carpenter,  J.  E., 

244 

Catullus, 

174 

Chalkhill,  John,  (Izaac  Walton),     . 

138,  166 

Chatterton,  Thomas, 

86 

Chaucer,  Geoffrey,  . 

11,42, 

190, 291 

"  Chevy  Chase," 

260 

Churchill,  Charles, 

.         156 

Claribel, 

^ 

244 

Clark,  Willis  G.,      . 

225 

Cobb,  Henry  N., 

87 

Coit,  John  0.,          . 

65 

Coleridge,  Samuel  Taylor, 

13.27,47.55.73. 

204,  278 

Collins,  William,     . 

214.  278 

Cooke,  Philip  Pendleton, 

93 

Cornwall,  Barry,  (B.  W.  Proctor), 

55 

Cotton,  Charles, 

130 

Cowley,  Abraham, 

208 

Cowper,  William, 

3,  168,  171,  183,  263,  285, 

286,  288 

Crabbe,  George, 

287 

INDEX  OF  AUTHORS. 


331 


Craik,  Dinah  Maria  Mulock, 

Cunningham,  Allan, 

Dana,  Richard  Henry, 

Daniel,  Samuel, 

Dante, 

Darwm,  Erasmus, 

Davies,  Sir  John, 

Dickens,  Charles, 

Dobson,  Austin, 

Doddridge,  Philip, 

Drayton,  Michael, 

Dryden,  John,  . 

Durbin,  Charles, 

Eastman,  Charles  Gamage, 

Edwards,  Amelia  B., 

Elliot,  Ebenezer, 

Emerson,  Ralph  Waldo, 

Emmett,  Dan.  D., 

Falconer,  William, 

Field,  Eugene, 

Fletcher,  Giles, 

Fontenelle,  Bernard  le  Bov 

Fosdick,  William  W., 

Foster,  Stephen  Collins, 

Franc,  G.,  . 

Gates,  Ellen  N.  H.,      . 

Gay,  John, 

Gaylord,  Willis, 

Gilder,  Richard  Watson,     . 

Goethe,  Johann  Wolfgang  von,  . 

Goldsmith,  Oliver, 

Gosse,  Edmund, 

Goose,  Mary, 

Gray,  Thomas, 

Greene,  Roy  Farrell, 

Hale,  Sarah  J., 

Hall,  Charles  S.,    . 

Harte,  Francis  Bret, 


72,  «8,  8. 

216, 

80, 


17,  119,  122,  123,  125,  129,  132,  298, 
J.  135,  257.  286,  293,  300, 


278, 
212, 


62,  150,  152, 


141,  150,  256, 
156,  182,  183,  196, 


106,  1-47,  182,  206,  219,  224,  263,  266, 


28,  87,  90,  167,  170,  218,  285,  308,  309, 


PAGE 

?.  99 

318 

192 

94 
289 
200 

92 
105 
325 
199 
218 
302 

61 

54 

55 
325 
272 
246 

59 
193 
194 
229 
283 
240 
254 
HI' 
138 

56 
108 

29s 
212 
128 
321 
273 
314 
105 
246 

3" 


332 


INDEX  OF  AUTHORS. 


Harvey,  James, 
Hastings,  Thomas, 
Hay,  John, 
Heber,  Reginald, 
Heine,  Heinrich, 
Hemans,  Fehcia, 
Henryson,  Robert, 
Herbert,  George, 
Herrick,  Robert, 
Hervey,  Thomas  Kibble, 
Heywood,  Thomas, 
Hill,  Thomas, 
Hogg,  James, 
Holmes,  Oliver  Wendell, 
Homer, 

Hood,  Thomas,  lo,  31, 

Horace, 

Howe,  Julia  Ward, 
Howells,  William  Dean, 
Hoyt,  Ralph, 
Hunt,  Leigh, 
Hunter,  Anne, 
Hugo,  Victor,    . 
Ingelow,  Jean, 
Jeffreys,  Charles, 
'Johnson,  Samuel,    . 
Jones,  Sir  William, 
Jonson,  Ben, 
Josephus, 
Keats,  John 

Keeling,  Elsa  D.  E.,     . 
Kingsley,  Charles, 
Kinney,  Coates, 
Knox,  William, 
Korner,  Charles  Theodore, 
Larcom,  Lucy, 
Landon,  Letitia  Ehzabeth, 
Lang,  Andrew, 


PAGE 
213 
254 

n,  178,  257,  261,  285 

•       145.253 

256 

12,  180,  213 

131 

50 
.      15,  77,  148,  149,  151,  178,  190,  191 

•  •  •  55 

106 

190 

152,  162 

51,  64,  147,  158,  201,  260,  262,  263 

217,  289 

54,  55.  77.  89,  93,  113,  161,  191,  198,  260 

58,  226 

247 

64 

55,78 

325 
.....         146 

149 

85 

....  308 

180 

203 

.      .279 

4 

103,  III,  181,  195,  212,  277,  291 

.     '       .  67 

81,  86,  144,  171,  173 

25,  142,  225 

.28 

....  80 

140, 143,  168,  170 

224 

116,  125,  130,  154 


INDEX  OF  AUTHORS. 


333 


PAGE 

Lanier,  Sidney,              .             .                          .              . 

44,255 

Lear,  Edward,         . 

321 

Linley,  G.,         .             .             .             ,             .             . 

244 

Locker-Lampson,  Frederick, 

112,  325 

Lockhart,  Burton  W.,    . 

64 

Lockhart,  John  Gibson,       .... 

221 

Logan,  Margaret  B.,     , 

122 

Longfellow,  Henry  Wadsworih,  8,  12,  13,  14,  15,  35, 

41,44,  45>  55.73, 

74,81,  no,  164,  171,  173,  194,  199,207,  220,  222, 

263,  281 

285,  291 

Lowell,  James  Russell,       .               257,  263,  282,  301, 

302,  303, 

315,317 

Lowry,  Rev.  Robert,     ..... 

253 

Lytton,  Sir  Edward  Bulwer, 

295 

Lytton,  Robert  Bulwer,             .... 

291 

Macaulay,  Lord,      ..... 

258,  293 

Macdonald,  George,      .             .             .             .             . 

II,  i6c 

Mace,  Frances  Laughton,  .... 

252 

Mackay,  Charles,           .             .             .             .             . 

14. 

104,  145 

.Manners,  Lady  Frances,      .... 

56 

Marlowe,  Christopher,               .... 

294 

.Matthews,  James  Newton,  .... 

167 

McCabe,  Charles  C,     .                         .             .             . 

247 

McCarthy,  H.,         .             .                           .             . 

246 

Marsh,  Simeon  B.,        . 

254 

Merrick,  James,       ..... 

179 

Miller,  Joaquin,              ..... 

285 

Milton,  John,           .    48,  104,  109,  134,  198,  201,  219, 

226,  266, 

277,  289 

Montgomery,  James,            .... 

•       79, 

'34,  248 

Moore,  Thomas,            .             .             . 

72,  239, 

263,  291 

Morris,  Ida  G.,        . 

53 

Motherwell,  William,   ..... 

166,  319 

Moultrie,  John,        ..... 

78 

Nelson,  S.,        . 

244 

Norton,  Caroline  E.,            .... 

96,  113 

O'Conner,  Joseph          .             .       *     . 

179 

Osgood,  Frances  Sargent,  . 

.    55,68 

Ossian,                .              . 

3 

Palgrave,  Francis  Turner,  .... 

193 

Parnell,  Thomas,           .... 

213 

334 


INDEX  OF  AUTHORS. 


lo,  i8,  38,  68,  76,  146,  175 
S'^,  59-  '77>  192,  197,  202,  206,  222, 


Parsons,  Thomas  W., 

Patmore,  Coventry, 

Payne,  John  Howard, 

Percival,  James  Gates, 

Perry,  T.  S., 

"  Piers  Plowman," 

Pike,  Albert  N.,      . 

Pickering,  Henry, 

Pinkney,  Edward  Coate, 

Poe,  Edgar  Allan, 

Pope,  Alexander,  2,  3,  27.  37 

290,  300. 
Powell,        ...... 

Procter,  Adelaide  Anne,  .... 

Proctor,  Bryan  W.,  (  Barry  Cornwall ),       . 

Quarles,  Francis,  ..... 

Ramsay,  Allan,       ...... 

Randall,  James  R.,        . 

Read,  Thomas  Buchanan.   ..... 

Reed,  Joe  S.,    . 

Riley,  James  Whitcomb,  67,  159,  263,  264,  265,  266,  285, 

319,  320,  322. 
Roberts,  Sarah,  ..... 

Robmson,  Maria  Durey,      ..... 

Rogers,  Alexander, 

Rouget  de  Lisle,  Claude  Joseph,     .... 

Russell,  Henry,  ..... 

Sappho,       ....... 

Saxe,  John  Godfrey, 

Schiller,  J.  C.  F.  von, 

Scott,  Lady  Jane, 

Scott,  Sir  Walter,    .... 

Sedley,  Sir  Charles, 

Shakespeare,  William,  48,  78,  103,  \\i,  187, 

215- 
Shelley,  Percy  Bysshe, 
Shenstone,  William, 
Shepherd,  N.  G., 


4 
»94, 


192 


PAGE 

43 

55 

,  240 

282 

55 

19s 

246 

,  223 

93 

,  192 

286. 


.  60,  70,  95,  97, 
256,  261, 

51,  163.  169,  183.  220, 

192,  194,  195,  196,  206, 

70, 
214, 


54 

75.95.  218 

104 

".  77 

.         285 

246 

4,  55,  87,  284 

3<i 
308,  309,  310, 


79 
248 

94 

4« 

242 

172 

204 

295 
242 
291 

99 
207. 


102 

285 

14 


INDEX  OF  AUTHORS. 


335 


Shillaber,  P.  B.,       . 

Shirley,  James, 

Sibley,  Charles, 

Sidney,  Sir  Philip, 

Sigourney,  Lydia  H., 

Simms,  William  Gilmorc, 

Smith,  Charlotte, 

Smith,  James,    . 

Southey,  Robert, 

Spenser,  Edmund, 

Stedman,  Edmund  Clarence, 

Still,  John, 

Stoddard,  Richard  Henry, 

Stoddart,  Thomas  Tod, 

Suckling,  Sir  John, 

Swinburne,  Algernon  Charles,  123, 

292. 
Taylor,  Bayard, 
Tennyson,  Alfred,   12,  15,  28,  35, 

146,  159,  162,  171.  173,, 174, 

263,  266,  285. 
Thackeray,  William  Makepeace, 
Thomson,  James,   . 
Toplady,  Rev.  A.  M.,  . 
Tusser,  Thomas, 
Udall,  Nicholas, 
Vaughan,  Henry,    . 
Virgil,  .... 
Voiture,  Vincent,    . 
Waller,  Edmund, 
Walford,  Rev.  W.  H  , 
Walton,  Izaak, 
Watts,  Isaac, 
Weir,  Harrison, 
Wesley,  Charles,     . 
White,  Joseph  Blanco, 
White,  Henry  Ki'^ke, 
Whitman,  Walt, 


75 

94 

83 

69 

151 

...      283 

71 

198 

153,  161,  163,  171,  172,  207,  219, 225 
1 1,  181,  291 
73,96,  143,  i79>  205.  221,  283 
196 
55.  203 
88 
70,  189 
124,  127,  142,  171,  172,  175,  285, 291, 

55 

38,  43,  47,  55,  59,  71,  76,  85,  90,  139, 
202,  204,  205,  213,  214,  218,  256,  262, 


169 

178,  182,  190,  197 

254 

•  48,  49 

294 

194 

216,  289 

121 

74 
254 

44 

26,  157,  172,  254 

106 

251,  254 

"5 

74 

3 


336  INDEX  OF  AUTHORS. 

PAGH 

VVhittier,  John  Greenleaf,  12,  14,  28,  35,  44,  72,  210,  265,  284,  285 

Wilcox,  Ella  Wheeler,  .16,  110,193,205 

Willis,  Nathaniel  Parker,    •  ■  •  •  .  .  35 

Winner,  Septimus,        ......  245 

Wither,  George,      .  .  .  -57 

W^olfe,  Charles,  i8c 

Wolfe,  James,  .......         277 

Wordsworth,  William,  .  .  37,47,54,158,285,286 


INDEX  OF  SUBJECTS 


PACK 

PAGE 

Accent,    . 

6,  19 

Construction  of  the  Stanza,           63 

Acrostics. 

•       56 

Couplet,  . 

II 

Alcaics,    . 

171 

Cretic, 

.          26 

Allegory, 

•     199 

Dactyl,     . 

24 

Alliteration, 

42 

Dactylic  Dimeter, 

10 

Amatory  Ode, 

.     256 

Dactylic  Rhythm, 

160 

Amphibrach, 

26 

Dialect, 

303 

Amphimacer,               .    • 

26 

Didactic  . 

■     235,285 

Anapest, 

24 

Dimeter  Measure,    138, 

150,     160, 

Anapestic  Rhythm, 

165 

166. 

Anapestic  Tetrameter, 

10 

Drama, 

236,    293 

Anaphora, 

201 

Echo, 

2X8 

Antithesis, 

202 

Ecphonesis     . 

206 

Apheresis, 

.     187 

Eight  Line  Stanza, 

92 

Apocope, 

188 

Elegy, 

262 

Apostrophe,    . 

200 

Ellipsis,   . 

191 

Assonantal  Rhyme, 

44 

Empire  of  Poetry, 

.    229 

Ballad, 

.     258 

Enallage, 

193 

Ballade,  The 

116 

Envoy, 

.    298 

Blank  Verse, 

133 

Epanalepsis, 

203 

Burlesque, 

297 

Epenthesis,     . 

.   188 

Burletta, 

•     297 

Epic, 

235,  288 

Cento  Verse, 

54 

Epigram, 

.   203 

Chant, 

221 

Epilogue, 

298 

Chant  Royal, 

118 

Epitaph, 

.  278 

Child  Dialect,             .      ' 

•     319 

Epizeuxis, 

204 

Chinese  Dialect, 

3" 

Erotesis, 

205 

Classification, 

•     235 

Farce, 

297 

Comedy, 

296 

Feminine  Rhyme, 

45 

Consonantal  Rhyme,  . 

45 

Figures  of  Etymology, 

187 

338 


INDEX  OF  SUBJECTS. 


rA(;b: 

PAGK 

Figures  of  Rhetoric,  . 

■     »99 

Nonsense, 

320 

P^igures  of  Speech, 

187 

Oljjective  Poetry, 

•     236 

Figures  of  Syntax, 

.     191 

Octometer  Measure 

146,  159 

Five  Line  Stanza, 

69 

Odd  Rhyme,  . 

50 

Foreign  Words  and  Expressions,  60 

Ode, 

254 

German  Dialect, 

•     304 

Onomatopcjeia, 

.     218 

Hearing, 

208 

Opera, 

299 

Hendecasyllables, 

■     174 

Pantoum, 

•     131 

Heptameter  Measure,      .    i 

14, 158 

Paragoge, 

189 

Heroic  Ode,  . 

•     257 

Paraleipsis,     . 

.     220 

Hexameter  Measure,  143,  157,  164, 

Pastoral,  . 

235,  281 

170,  172. 

Pentameter  Measure, 

142, 155 

Hyperbaton, 

197 

Personification, 

220 

Hyperbole,     . 

.     208 

Pleonasm, 

198 

Iambic  Pentameter, 

II 

Poetical  Licenses, 

•     177 

Iambic  Rhythm, 

•     147 

Poetry  as  an  Art, 

I 

Iambus,   . 

23 

Poetic  Pauses, 

•       36 

Imitation  of  Classical  Measures,  171 

Prologue, 

297 

Inverse  Rhyme 

•      49 

Prosthesis, 

.      190 

Inversion, 

197 

Quantity,         ^    . 

6 

Interrogation, 

205 

Quatrain, 

12 

Irish  Dialect, 

306 

Refrain,  . 

221 

Irony, 

210 

Rhythm, 

•       30 

Kinds  of  Poetry, 

229 

Rhythmic  Combinations, 

65 

Litotes, 

211 

Rhyme,    . 

40 

Lyric,       .             .             .2 

35>  237 

Rondeau, 

120 

Masculine  Rhyme, 

•      45 

Rondel,   . 

123 

Measures  Exemplified, 

136 

Roundel, 

•     124 

Melodrama,    . 

•     297 

Sacred  Ode, 

255 

Meter,      . 

18 

Sacred  Songs, 

.     248 

Metonymy,     . 

.     212 

Sapphics, 

172 

Metrical  History, 

293 

Satire, 

236,  299 

Metrical  Romance,     . 

.     291 

Scansion, 

3], 

Middle  Rhyme,  . 

46 

Secular  Songs, 

.     238 

Mock  Epic,    . 

.     289 

Sectional  Rhyme, 

48 

Monometer  Measure,  137,  i 

^8,  165 

Selection  of  Words,   . 

•       58 

Moral  Ode, 

255 

Sestine,    . 

126 

Nine  Line  Stanza, 

.       98 

Seven  Line  Stanza,     . 

.       82 

INDEX  OF  SUBJECTS. 


339 


Scotch  Dialect,    . 

PACK 

318 

Triolet,    . 

PAGE 

129 

Simile, 

222 

Triple  Rhyme, 

•       46 

Six  Line  Stanza, 

75 

Tragedy, 

296 

Sonnet, 

.     107 

Travesty, 

•     297 

Southern  Dialect, 

3" 

Trimeter  Measure,       139 

151,  167 

Spondee, 

26 

Triplet,    . 

12 

Stanza,     . 

II 

Trochaic  Rhythm, 

.     136 

Subjective  Poetry, 

•    236 

Trochaic  Tetrameter, 

10 

Subjective  Drama, 

299 

Trope, 

.     223 

Syllepsis, 

.     198 

Trochee, 

23 

Synaeresis, 

190 

Verse, 

10 

Synecdoche,  . 

•    223 

Versicle,  . 

323 

Syncope, 

190 

ViUanelle,      . 

.     124 

Task  Rhyme, 

•      50 

Virelay,   . 

130 

Ten  Liue  Stanza, 

102 

Vision, 

226 

Tetrameter  Measure,  140,  152,  163, 

Western  Dialect, 

308 

168. 

Vankee  Dialect, 

•     315 

Tmesis, 

•     191 

41567 


A     000  671  696     3 


